𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙 - Charles Leclerc (CL16) [Book 1]

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝

I wake up to the sound of my parents preparing everything for the big Christmas brunch in the kitchen downstairs. With a loud groan, I roll over in bed and reach for my phone. As expected, I have no new messages from Charles. Sadness runs through my body. I really have ruined everything.

Letting out a sigh, I pull back my blanket and sit up in bed. When my bare feet touch the cold ground, I shudder. I slide into my pair of slippers and make my way downstairs. Before I enter the kitchen, I stand in the doorway and watch as my parents stand next to each other at the stove and inspect the coffee pot.

"Francesco, how many times have I told you that we need a new coffee pot? Now it's completely broken and it's Christmas Day. The timing could not be worse." My mother throws her arms up in anger.

"Valentina, we have two more pots in the cupboard. We will survive," my dad answers annoyed. I shake my head and step into the kitchen before clearing my throat.

They both turn and look at me in surprize. My dad gives me a small smile. My mother, on the other hand, has nothing better to do than criticise me first thing in the morning. "Oh signora is finally awake too. Is that what they do in France, sleep through the whole morning and only get out of bed when everything is already prepared?"

Out of the corner of my eye I can see my father grimacing.

"Mother, it's 8:30am. I hardly think I slept through the whole morning. Besides, I'm here now. The guests arrive at 10am, so what can I do to help now?" I squeeze out between clenched teeth. This woman is driving me crazy.

"You can help your father with the coffee. I don't feel like dealing with the broken coffee pot anymore when I have so much more important things to do." and then she disappeared through the door into the dining room.

"Come on biscottina. The two of us can handle it." My dad puts an arm around my shoulder and briefly pulls me towards him.

After my dad and I have made about 7 pots of coffee and poured it into the giant thermos, I scurry upstairs again to put on some decent clothes. I don't want to greet our guests in my pyjama.

✧·: *✧·:

Half an hour later I leave my room and I can already make out the voices of the guests downstairs. When I hear Davide's deep voice, my body stiffens for a brief moment until I realise that this is absolute nonsense. I'm over him and there's no reason to react to him in this way anymore. I take another deep breath, straighten my back and go downstairs to join the others.

I haven't even reached the last step when Davide's mother's loud voice echoes around me.

"ANA! It's nice to see you. You are finally home again." The little woman pulls me close to her with surprising strength and plants kisses all over my face.

Behind her I can hear Davide trying to suppress a laugh, and in response I narrow my eyes at him over his mother's shoulder.

"Ciao Flavia." I say and at the same time try to free myself from her arms as inconspicuously as possible.

"You've grown up so much. France seems to be good for you, even if you would be better off in Alessandria." It's only with all my might that I manage to suppress rolling my eyes.

Without answering anything else, I turn to Davide's father. The man is a few years older than my dad, but you can't even tell by looking at him.

"Ciao Bruno." I let him pull me into a hug, but it's nowhere near as uncomfortable as the one before. I always knew why I stick more to the men in the families.