The Guy Down the Hall- F1

Discrete

2010

It became tradition in Ilaria's family to support her brother Easton in karting every weekend they could (even if he isn't that good at the sport) nevertheless their father supported anything his children did. So every race weekend they went with Charles family and even Pierre's sometimes.

Ilaria never enjoyed it that much. She would prefer to stay back home with her grandparents but they all support her in her ice skating competitions so she must tag along.

She watched dreamily as Charles fixed his suit. A smile sneaking itself on his face, proud of getting the prettiest girl at school to stare at him. And although they have grown up together, he still finds her utterly amazing and intimidating, everything she does or say hooks him up towards her.

"I'm sure you'll win" she spoke to him. "Even if Easton teases you. He does so because he knows you're much better than him"

Charles laughed, fully turning to look her, staring in awe at her bright blond hair and tanned skin. "And if I don't?"

She thought for a moment. "I'll put it this way— if you lose, Easton and Pierre will tease you endlessly for letting that blond boy win—"

"Verstappen" Charles corrected, earning a huff from her.

"Yes, whatever" the boy has been on his neck every single race of the season so far, and if Charles doesn't step up then he will lose the championship.

"But If you win," Ilaria came closer to him, their heights not much of a difference. Being a year apart has its perks, though she knows in no time he will surpass her since he will be turning fourteen in just two months. "That date our brothers teased you about? I will go out with you." During summer Charles had wanted to ask her out, but the courage never found him and instead an endless summer of teasing and jokes about him was born, which he only responded by barely talking to the girl he finds so alluring. "Deal?"

His stomach dropped at their proximity, never in his life he's been this close to a girl and he could see every small detail about her. It only made her more beautiful.

"Deal" he whispered, seeing a smile grow on her freckled face before she winks, leaving him out of breath at her boldness.

And so, it started. An endless growing love for each other that made everyone around the couple wonder; how something so pure and real could have ended in such tragedy?

Australian gran prix

She didn't speak unless it was absolutely necessary. And over the course of the last two Grand Prix's she only addressed Charles or any other driver when absolutely necessary.

Charles slowly was starting to realize just how quiet she became and it wasn't only because she was avoiding him. Ilaria couldn't even look into his eyes without stuttering and looking elsewhere almost instantly. The reaction he got out of her was amusing at first, but when it actually sank that perhaps he fucked up their new found friendship he felt like the worst person alive.

Ilaria, on the other hand, wasn't even thinking what Charles told her back in the graveyard. She just thought over and over again about her and Max, the sound of his moans and groans didn't leave her mind no matter what she did. Just thinking about his lips on her neck made her stomach drop as she could only sigh quietly trying to pull herself together.

"For the second run we'll use the medium. He'll pit first and will be the priority during the race" the head of the strategy explained, although she wasn't supposed to be during that meeting at the moment, she felt like staying just to make presence.

She could feel Charles eyes on her every time she moves to switch position or write some nonsense in her notebook. She suddenly holds up a piece of paper, tired of the way he's acting, which to her delight Charles was already staring and he subconsciously read what she wrote.