𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒, charles leclerc

chapter one

pierre gasly's earliest dream was to become a formula 1 driver. this dream was born early on in his life, at the age of six, when he watched his first karting race. the young french boy started karting and began competing at age ten. each year, he moved up the ranks and built a reputation in formula renault and formula e racing series. he joined the red bull junior team and raced for four years until he reached his ultimate goal: to debut in formula 1.

throughout this journey, his parents were always extremely supportive—but nobody loved watching pierre race as much as his little sister did. juliet, only two years younger than the racer, came to almost every race she could and practiced with her brother on tracks near their home. she had the dream of becoming the first female f1 driver, but realized later that it just wasn't realistic. nonetheless, she tried to go to as many races as she could to watch her brother.

over the past two years, that had become more difficult. juliet was currently away at the university of paris studying criminology to become a lawyer. she had just graduated and taken the LSAT. this summer was going to be a waiting game for her test results and law school admissions.

"pierre, where are you? i look like a crazy person standing outside this airport alone!" juliet scolded her older brother through the phone as she stood at terminal 4 of vienna international airport.

"relax, julie, i'm pulling up. can you see me?" pierre sighed as he pulled over to the parking lane of the airport. juliet heard a loud engine and looked up from her phone, watching as a black sports car pulled up beside her.

"could this car be any more obnoxious?" the girl opened the back door and huffed as she lifted her luggage into the back seat. "shut up, you like it," Pierre hit back with a sarcastic smile and juliet got in the passenger seat. "fine, it is nice."

the siblings made small talk about traffic and the weather as they exited the airport parkway and got onto the highway. "so, how have you been? bien?" the boy asked, looking at his sister.

"yeah, bien. i'm so glad that the LSAT is over, i'm so drained from studying and writing it. hopefully i will pass," juliet explained, flashbacks of her long and stressful nights of studying running through her mind. "i need to pass."

"and you will," pierre reassured her, "you will help me get out of the trouble i'm sure to get in in the future." they both laughed at his comment and talked some more, soon getting off the highway and having only thirty minutes left of the drive.

"are you excited for the race? i haven't been able to really even watch them on TV, but maman tells me every weekend what place you finish in," juliet asked, looking at the various billboards advertising the grand prix on the sides of the road. "seems like you're finishing pretty solid."

pierre thought about the last few grand prixs and his mediocre finishes in each. his head stung as he thought about testing, where he crashed the car twice. "i need to start doing better. i finish in eighth or below every race while max is up on the podium nearly every weekend," he finally answered juliet's question, "i don't want to lose my seat for next season."

juliet placed her hand on her worried brother's arm, smiling sincerely "you won't. maybe i need to start racing you again to build back up your competitiveness, since i beat you all the time."

"d'accord, but you haven't seen me race in a while, julie." pierre chuckled sarcastically, looking at his sister. "i'll still win," juliet snapped back.

silence and conversation flew through the car for the next few minutes until the gasly siblings finally pulled into the hotel parking lot. juliet spotted all of the nice sports cars in a locked parking lot and figured that most of the drivers were staying here as well. pierre got out of the car first and opened up the back seat, lugging out juliet's suitcase and handing it to her. a valet got into the car and left to park it while the siblings entered the lobby.

pierre led juliet up into their hotel room and the girl jumped onto the bed as soon as it was in her sight. "oh mon dieu, i'm so tired!" she sighed as her back hit the mattress. pierre laughed at his sister and remembered how much he truly missed her.

"okay, bien," the boy smiled, "i promised some of the guys i'd go out for drinks, and i assumed you wouldn't want to join. just go to sleep."

juliet nodded and sat up in the bed, keen with her brother's suggestion. she grabbed the TV remote and turned on the large flat screen on the wall, scrolling through channels to find something to watch. pierre changed into a nicer polo top and sat on his bed, mindlessly scrolling through his phone, when the siblings heard a loud knock on the door.

"pierre! allez, we're ready!" a thick french accent shouted through the door and pierre stood up to answer it. "let me just put on my shoes," pierre said and let the other guy come into the room. juliet looked up from her phone as she saw the two bodies come in.

"oh, sorry, i did not know you had someone in here," the man gasped as he saw juliet in the bed. she was startled at first but she soon recognized him and remembered him from pierre's early karting races. the black polo with a large ferrari logo also helped.

"no, charles, that's my sister. remember juliet?" pierre noticed his friend's concerned face as he tied his sneaker. charles' expression immediately dropped and he ran his hand through his hair, taking a breath.

the monégasque looked at the brunette and tried to remember her. his bell went off. "oh, yes i do," he blankly smiled at her and she reciprocated the greeting.

"alright, let's go," pierre stood up and fixed his shirt, "order room service if you get hungry, julie."

"d'accord, have fun!" juliet mumbled but already heard the hotel room door close.

— notes!
hola! welcome to
my new story about
my husband himself
charles leclerc, i hope
you all enjoy it <33