Misery | Charles Leclerc [Abandoned]

𝙵𝚘𝚞𝚛.

The venue is packed with all sorts of rich looking people. This isn't something new for Charles. In his daily life he is surrounded by wealth all the time, but something about this crowd makes him feel a little out of place. Luckily they are allowed to wear tuxes instead of their team clothing, otherwise the group of drivers entering the room would've stood out even more in the sea of formal attire.

The drivers are used to these sponsor events and getting invited to all sorts of benefits and fundraisers. They are always encouraged to attend if they are able to as it is good PR and they are able to suck up to funders for the teams. Not that Ferrari really needs them, but Charles had been swayed by Lando who in his place had been tricked into coming by his lovely girlfriend.

"If I need to go I need moral support," the younger man had told Charles when he called him to ask him to come to the event. Charles had dodged a couple of events since the start of the season with the reason that he needed to train and stay focused, but he knew sooner or later he needed to attend again. "Who else is coming to this thing?" He wasn't ready to be a third wheel to a couple still in the honeymoon phase.

"I was planning on calling Max and Daniel next, I know Checo is in Mexico and Alex can't come." Charles bit his lip as he considered the offer. A night with his friends sounded nice, but a fundraiser not so much. "Please, I will lose Grace multiple times and I don't want to be left standing in a corner with no one to laugh about the ridiculous people there."

Charles caved and luckily Max and Daniel could come as well, so now the four of them enter the venue together. They stand for a couple of seconds, taking in the room with rich looking people, before exchanging looks. "Bar?" Daniel offers and the other three agree. As their next race isn't for another three weeks, a little drink won't hurt. They make their way over to the bar and order their drinks.

"You're all taller than I am. Can you spot Grace somewhere?" Lando stands on his tiptoes, but he can't look far being blocked by taller people. "I don't know what she looks like, man." Lando makes a gesture to the Dutchman and looks further, balancing on the points of his feet making himself as tall as he can manage. "Ah, you are meeting her tonight?" Charles asks before taking a sip of his glass. Max nods.

"Me too, that was the main reason for me to say yes to this thing," Daniel joins the conversation. "We need to pass judgement on the girl that stole Lando's innocence." The man in question turns around to the older man. "I had a girlfriend before, you know that." Daniel shrugs with a grin. "Still, I'm curious who has you blushing like a little schoolgirl half of the time." Said blush immediately creeps onto the younger man's face and the others laugh at him.

"She's a nice girl, I joined them for dinner in Australia," Charles offers a helping hand to Lando. He looks gratefully at the Ferrari driver who gives him a small wink. Teasing each other is part of being in Formula One, but Lando really likes Grace. Charles knows a good couple when he sees one and those two are made for each other. Both extremely chaotic, driven and full life spirit. Not that Charles really knows Grace that well, but she is a Monegasque and that counts for something.

The others nod at him and Max places his glass on the bar. "You third wheeled?" Daniel laughs at Charles, who shakes his head at the man. "Nah, I was invited by Pierre." Daniel looks confused and Charles realises context is important in this story. "Oh right, Pierre's sister is Grace's best friend or something so they would go to dinner with the four of them and Pierre wanted me to join."

"I didn't know Gasly had a sister." Daniel also puts his glass down taking an interest in the subject. "Yeah, not that important." Charles waves it off, but can't help remembering Fayen's presence that evening. "Fayen? I haven't seen her since the karting days." Charles turns to Max. "How do you even remember her?"