driving and detriment; norris

. 23 firing fellowship

Torna a Casa

Maneskin 

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Triggerwarning: mention of rape.

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Charles is slumped over her shoulder, and Meadow is lucky that he's an athlete. His body is dead weight right now, Charles is so drunk that he can't stand up on his own.

Tears are still pooling in her eyes, but she's furiously blinking them away. It furiates her so much why someone could do this to someone. Why would you ever take advantage of a person who is too drunk to give consent? Especially because she noticed that Olive wasn't even slightly tipsy herself.

Nervously, her eyes dart back and forth between the house behind her, and Lando next to her. He's on the phone with a team member, trying to get them to send him a car.

They're waiting outside, and the Belgian air is not very hot anymore. She left the hotel without a jacket earlier, and she's regretting that now. Goosebumps are starting to form on her arms, and she's shaking softly. Though that is not only from the cold, but also from anger and frustration.

One glance over at Charles's face, and the tears come flooding in again. Lando, who's apparently done with his phonecall, notices, and steps in front of her.

"Hey, don't worry, he's safe now." He rests his hand on her free elbow to show some support, but his face tenses up in following. "Are you cold? You are shaking and covered in goosebumps."

"It's okay, really" she dismisses him. Even if this evening confirmed Lando's confession from the summer, it's still awkward to interact with him. And there's no time to digest what this means for their relationship, because getting Charles safe is the only thing on her mind right now.

Lando shakes his head, though. Before she can protest more, he slips his hoodie over his head, and hands it over. His arm goes under Charles, and the immediate relief when he takes over his weight is freeing. With a shy smile, she puts the sweater on.

Before the warmth can comfort her, the scent hits her nose. She can't really place it. He smells like summer and autumn at the same time. A sunny day in the park, but rain and the forest too. There's a hint of cinnamon, like your grandmother's house smells when she's baking. It's comforting, perhaps even more than the warmth it's providing.

She slumps down on the pavement, awaiting their ride. Together, they sit there, Charles forming a physical barrier between the two of them.

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For a few blissful seconds, this morning feels like any other. Until the events of last night come flooding back, and Meadow gets kicked back into reality. Her phone tells her it's past noon already, but she can't be too mad at herself. They're not leaving for Zandvoort until tommorow, and it was very late when she fell asleep last night.

By the time Lando's car arrived, it was already nearing one AM. Together they took Charles to his hotel, made sure that he was safe and asleep in his bed.

It was almost three AM when Lando dropped her off at her own hotel, and she was so tired that she passed out as soon as she walked into her room.

Everything in her is telling her to just pull the pillow over her head and ignore everything, but she knows she can't. Christian has to know, she owes that to Charles. So, with dread filling her stomach, she gets ready for the day.