Picture To Burn [Charles Leclerc]

10. Treacherous

Put your lips close to mine, as long as they don't touch...

***

Aspen White

The news had gotten us all by surprise.

When I woke up and saw that Charles would be replaced by this Lorenzo guy during Miami, I couldn't believe it. At first I thought it was some sort of fake new, since it was unusual for team principals to take that sort of decisions, specially so early in the season. But no. It had been confirmed already and Charles wouldn't be racing in the first stop of the United States.

I didn't know how to feel with that information. I guess I wasn't Charles Leclerc's biggest fan at the moment but still, I didn't feel like making him step down in one of the most emblematic races would be the best option.

Anyway, I tried to think as less as possible in Charles during my trip to Miami, because I was still pissed at him. First, he had basically told me he would never be with someone like me in Melbourne. Right when I had thought for a brief second he could be so much more than the egocentric racing driver everyone thought he was.

But I was wrong. He was, in fact, an idiot.

What had angered me the most was that back in Japan, he had tried to act as if nothing had happened, being his usual cocky and flirty self that irritated me so much. He asked if I was mad at him and of course I was. Every girl hated rejection, even worse if those weren't even my intentions. He acted as if I was the worst possible option for him to choose and I wouldn't lie, that had hurt my ego. A lot.

So, Charles was the very last person I wanted to think about for a while. Although his annoyingly handsome face all over my social media was making it a little bit too hard for me.

The positive side of all of this was that I was very excited to be back at the States. Even if we were in Florida, the next race wouldn't be until two more weeks, so I had requested a permission to stay and fly to New York to see my parents and sister.

It had been almost two months or more since the last time I had seen them and I missed them terribly. So yes, I was excited for the race, but I was way more excited for it to finish, so I could go and visit my family.

Despite being a local, I had never been to Miami, nor anywhere else really. So when we arrived to the southern coast and the engulfing heat kissed my skin I felt thrilled to be in such an amazing place. Mona and I had a few days to go and enjoy the tropical weather in the beach, but Gina needed me in a studio she had rented for the weekend to take the official pictures of Lorenzo in his racing suit. So, duty called.

I made it to the studio that was in downtown Miami and Gina was already waiting for me inside.

"I heard he's quite handsome." My boss said in a low voice as I settled the lights and cameras.

"So, you don't know him either?" I asked her before adjusting the tripod to a size that was comfortable for me.

"I don't." Gina chuckled, "Reserve drivers usually don't give us much trouble since people aren't over them all the time. So with their respective agents is more enough. I already have my fands full with Carlos and Charles."

"I saw a few pictures of him on the internet," I started.

"Actually, I look so much better in person."

Gina and I both heard and unknown voice and turned to the door just to see that Lorenzo had already joined us.

He stood tall and handsome, with tanned skin that made his blue eyes pop and had thick eyebrows and lashes that added a nice frame to his face. He seemed very... italian.