Formula One - One-Shots Collection - Complete

Birthday - Charles Leclerc

I smiled as I watched my little brother's blow out their birthday cake's candles, I couldn't believe that they were 13 today, it was crazy. Time seemed to be passing by so quickly when it came to my life and I was only 18. This time last year I had been celebrating my brothers' birthday with my family and a few friends at a local pizza restaurant, this year things were different. My parents had hired out the town hall and had invited all my brothers' friends and most of our family. This year I had a different friend to the person I invited last year, last year my best friend, Charles had come along with me to keep my company, this year he had a prior engagement, this year I had invited my cousin, Jemma, who was coming anyway.

I clapped with everyone else before people dispersed back to the conversation they were having, returning to how it was before. I trudged back to my seat before pulling ut my mobile and checking it, there was nothing new on it, none of my friends had been in contact with me, not even a single notification over social media. Placing my phone on the table, I looked up at the room, there were so many young people here, the music they had chosen was dreadful and I couldn't see many people dancing. 

"Wanna nip outside?" I looked over and saw one of my cousins looking at me. 

Shrugging my shoulders I got to my feet taking my mobile phone and my bag with me, "Thanks, Jimmy, I was drowning in there."

He laughed, "Here," he handed me a cigarette before he held the door open for me. 

I rolled the cigarette between my fingers, "How did you know?"

"You were bouncing your leg loads when you sat down, besides, I've seen you in town with your mates, I already knew."

I playfully shoved him as we sat down together in the smoking shelter, my back leaning against the plastic back of the bench, "I hate family gatherings."

"Me too," Jimmy sympathized as he lit up his smoke and handed me the lighter so I could do the same. "Everyone is so fake towards each other."

Nodding my head I inhaled the smoke before exhaling and smiling, "Do you think we can sneak away?" I looked in his direction before he shook his head at me.

"My mother would kill me," he told me before the silence was interrupted by a thundering exhaust of a car as it pulled into the carpark. "I have to go," Jimmy said stubbing out his remaining cig, "I can't let anyone see me out here." He scarpered off inside leaving me alone with my cigarette and whoever the idiot was driving the loud vehicle.

I got to my feet and walked out of the shelter and watched as the car drove into a spot next to my own car. Raising my eyebrows I watched silently, waiting to see who the owner was. Two minutes passed and I had finished smoking, I shook my head before flicking the butt into the ashtray and walking back into the hall ignoring whoever out newcomer was. 

"There you are," my mother came over to me when she saw me entering the room. "You smell like a bloody ashtray," she shook her head at me. "I don't have time for this right now, can you help me with the cake?"

My eyes looked around the room before I nodded, "I suppose so."

"I knew I could count on you, sweetie."

She took me to the kitchen where I cut the cake and she plated it up before ferrying out a few plates at a time to serve to the guests. "I need more," she said as she returned for the third time. 

I plated up several more slices that she took before I turned to the sink and started to fill it up. I heard the door reopen, "Yeah, yeah, I'll cut some more in a moment." I shook my head as I dried my hands on a teatowel.

"I don't want any cake," his accent catching me first before I turned and looked at him with wide eyes, I didn't speak as I stared at him disbelieving that he was here with me. "Say something, Delilah."

My voice seemed to be broken as I looked at him, instead I walked close to him and put my arms around him holding him tightly. I felt his arms go around my body before I smiled closing my eyes. "Hi," I mumbled against him. "What are you doing here?"

He looked at me as we ended the hug, "I knew how much today means to your family. I didn't want to let you down."

"You didn't have to," I told him as I sat on the nearest side. "I know you have commitments now, this is just a birthday party."

Charles walked towards me, he took my hands in his and looked into my eyes, the light reflecting off them making them look lighter. "You know that whatever it is, all you need to do is ask and I'll be there. You are my best friend in the world, Del."

"I haven't seen you in six months," I reminded him harshly as I took my hands out of his. "You can't jus turn up here and pretend that things are the same. You have your job now, you have your racing, you and me, we're not the same people we were last year."

He turned away from me taking a few steps away from me as I furrowed my eyebrows and pouted my lips. I couldn't believe that he was giving up so easily, I guess we'd never argued before, things always seemed to be so smooth in our friendship before. "Charles," I spoke his name softly watching him stop as he got to the door. 

I watched as he turned back to me, he didn't just turn, he walked towards me, his hand tucking under my chin tilting my head up before he kissed me, he kissed me forcefully on the lips. I closed my eyes as I returned the kiss, my hands tangling in his hair as I pulled his body close to mine. After all this time I couldn't believe it, it felt so right. 

As the kiss ended we leaned our foreheads against each others breathing heavily as we stared into each other's eyes. "I'm sorry that I didn't call," he told me in a breathless whisper.

"I'm sorry that I didn't invite you," I returned before we shared another intimate kiss.

Charles spoke again, "I promise I'll never miss another birthday again."

"Hey," I grinned at him as I allowed him to hold my hands. "It's not even my birthday today, that's the birthday I don't want you to miss."