L O C K -U P | c. leclerc

30| 1976

A. Devereaux

It was the last race before summer break. I wasn't as nervous as I was in previous races. I think I was starting to prove to myself that I'm good. Even if I didn't talk to Charles anymore, I wore my grandfather's racing suit that he gave me. I was still grateful. It was the piece that belonged to me.

I was just in my driver's room, preparing myself for qualifying when I heard a knock on my door.

I've gotten used to people taking my personal time so I just got up and opened the door. It wasn't too much of a surprise when I saw Kika, but I was more surprised to see Pierre. I raised my brow so Kika explained, "I normally visit you but Pierre here is worried about something and I think it's better that he said something rather than me explain it."

"Pierre, why are you scrunching your face like that?," I asked and he just ran his hands through his hair then said, "My friend Antoine, died here a few years ago. It wasn't even an explosive crash. I...I just want you to be careful. I don't want anymore repeats of that."

"Ma belle, Artemis is a skilled driver...she'll be fine," Kika reassured and Pierre argued, "Antoine was a good driver too, it can happen to anyone ma bichette, Artemis...just be careful okay?"

"I want you to be careful too," I said and he nodded.
Fuck, I didn't like this. The nerves started to catch up with me again. It feels like those weird inklings that something was going to happen. I just couldn't understand what.

_____

C. Leclerc

I patiently waited in my driver's room for Carlos when suddenly I heard a knock on my door. Immediately, I got up, and opened the door in eagerness to get this all done. I just want to be able to kiss Artemis again and hold her.

I just want to listen to her stories and take her out on dates. I don't even care if she just wants to scold me, I just want her to talk to me like I exist in her life.

However, when I opened it, I was met with a face I didn't want to see.

"Alexandra," I breathed out.

"Did you really think I was so stupid?," she said as she shoved me inside the room, closing the door behind her. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out about what you were trying to do to get out of this?," she said as she shoved Carlos' phone into my chest.

Instinctively, I grabbed my phone from my pocket and turned on the camera, pressing the video button as she continued to rant at me. "You think I didn't notice how you were always on your phone?," she accused, walking me into a corner, "Well guess what, your great love Artemis can suffer with what I'm about to do," she exclaimed and I immediately said, "Don't you dare Alexandra, I held my end of the deal."

"Held your end of the deal?!," she yelled, "How is this holding the end of your deal?! You sent Carlos off to get dirt on me so I would back down?!"

"Fuck you Charles, you don't even hug me or kiss me-."

"Are you crazy?!," I yelled back, "I don't love you anymore Alexandra. I once did, but now that's changed. What is so wrong about moving on?! MOVE ON! PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! Why do I have to suffer just because YOU. CAN'T. MOVE. ON!"

"It's because I don't think our story is finished yet! Please Charles just come back to me!," she begged but I just walked away from her and said, "Our story has been done a long time ago. Just please, leave me alone."

"You know what, fuck you," Alexandra said as she pressed something on her phone, "I've sent the damn copy of that old article to the tabloids and I don't have any fucking guilt for any of that."