Still Learning [C.L]

Realisations

Jen
Just saw you on TV 🙃

We watched as Charles smiled at his phone before looking around to find the camera directed at him and attempting to wink at it.

Jen
You didn't say you were a driver

Charles
😂😂
What did you think I was?

Jen
A mechanic??
Didn't think I'd be literally bumping into Ferrari drivers walking out of my front door 😅

Charles
It's Monaco, what did you expect?
Got to go racing 😉

The camera panned to the RedBull garage showing Sergio Perez preparing to get into his car before focusing on a younger driver in the opposite side of the garage doing the same.

"Who's that" Emma asked me
"I genuinely do not have a clue" I laughed shaking my head at my lack of knowledge
"I thought you said your dad was a big formula 1 fan?"
"Yeah he is but I've spent every Saturday out with you and the Sunday hungover in your flat so watching cars going round in circles wasn't top priority when I was trying to stop the room from spinning"
"I miss our nights out" Em thought out loud "Oh!" She exclaimed
"Oh?" I repeated her outburst back to her
"We should go out tonight. Let our hair down before we start uni on Monday. It'll be fun!" She tried to convince me
"But we just said we never watch the races hungover" reminding her
"But now you have a real reason to watch the race" she pointed at the TV squinting to see something better "Mr Leclerc" she giggled wiggling her eyebrows
"Shut up" I threw a cushion at her "okay, let's watch the qualifying and then get ready"

The cars soon started making their way round the track and qualifying was under way. I held my breath every time Charles went for his hot lap, always landing himself in the P1 spot before Q1 finished. I was sad to see Alex out in Q1 but there was just no way the Williams could keep up with big teams. Q2 was soon started and finished with Charles in P7, not great but through to Q3 and ready to go again. Em cheering as Verstappen took pole in Q2

"Who's team are you on?" I chuckled in disbelief
"What? He's cute? In like a dark, sad, tortured soul kind of way"
"And you could change him for the better blah blah" I teased her as this was her normal MO. Pick the bad guy thinking they'll change then wondering why she always ends up back at my house, heartbroken, watching Rick and Morty as my mum plies her with comfort food

Q3 was over, Charles taking pole closely followed by Max, and his teammate Carlos.

As promised, I headed through to my bedroom to pick an outfit for tonight. It was unseasonably cold today and there had even been reports of rain so I had to choose a more conservative ensemble than I usually would. Finally I settled on leather trousers and a corset top that I would throw a blazer over in between the apartment and the club.
Em and I began our usual routine singing 90s pop songs very badly whilst drinking wine and getting ready. We had also ordered pizza from our usual place Lucino's to line our stomachs, not wanting to embarrass ourselves on our first night out in our new city. Monaco seemed so reserved during the day so it would be interesting to experience it at night.

jenwalker
📍Monte Carlo

Liked by emmasmithh and 258 others
Let's hit the town 🥂

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Charles
I can't believe you're going on your first night out in Monaco and I'm not there to show you a good time 💔

My heart began to race reading the text message over and over again, my head filling with questions particularly the 'good time' part. I could feel the hot flush that had started in my chest working it's way up my neck and heating my cheeks, thinking about having a 'good time' with Charles before Em's voice snapped me out of it.

"You good?" She asked concerned as I stared at my phone
"Yeah absolutely fine" I smiled shaking myself out of my thoughts "let's go"

I put my phone into my bag reminding myself to reply to Charles later as I locked the door and entered the taxi we had ordered. The taxi arrived at Jimmy'z not long after, it was still only 10 o'clock so it was very quiet but at least we stood a better chance at being let in.

"ID ladies" the large bouncer stopped us and we searched in our purses, handing the photo evidence over "you look a lot younger than 22" he questioned
"Flattery will get you everywhere" Emma flirted "just a good skin care routine" she joked as she batted her eyelashes
"Ah Scottish, you people are wild" he laughed, moving to the side to let us in, adding "behave yourselves in there!"

We made our way inside and headed straight to the bar, ordering 2 vodka, lemonade and lime. The club was full of men a couple of years older than us, all dressed in shirts and smart trousers, bright red faces from being in the sun all day.

I soon felt a tap on my shoulder and a hand rest on my back. I turned to see a young man, looking quite drunk already, with his friends at a table not far behind him.

"Would you two fine ladies like to join us for a couple of drinks?" He slurred slightly
I turned to Emma and shrugged "Yeah sure, why not?"

We made our way over to the table and introduced ourselves, making small talk with the men.

"So what brings you to Monaco" one of them asked
"We're doing a placement abroad with uni" Emma answered
"So what are you studying?" Another jumped in
"Dentistry" I smiled in reply
"Oh so you're good at oral?" One of the men drunkenly shouted from the furtherest seat in the booth as Emma and I rolled our eyes
"Yeah very original, never heard that one before" I sneered back
"Right no need to be a fucking bitch about it" he snapped
"Fucking pathetic" Em muttered under her breath
"Sorry about him, he's not a nice guy when he's had whisky" his friend apologised trying to make amends
"Nothing we can't handle" I smiled back

I took my phone out to check the time and remembered I had to reply to Charles the alcohol I had consumed giving me additional confidence

Jen
I'm sure you could show me the best time out of anyone here
Just need to make the most of it when you're home next week 😉

Charles
Oh trust me, I will.
Goodnight Jennifer x

Jen
Goodnight Charles x

Emma caught me smiling at my phone and mouthed his name, I just nodded and she winked back, laughing.
We were pretty sensible the rest of the night, chatting with the group of men at the table but deciding not to outstay our welcome we headed home at 1 o'clock, hailing a taxi outside the club.
We crawled up the stairs in the flat not wanting to disturb the neighbours with our heels clicking on the stone at this time in the morning however our cackles were probably louder than our shoes would have been.
I got ready for bed and settled in for the night with only one thing on my mind.
Charles.

~ Author's note ~

400+ reads, thank you guys so much 🥰🥰
Hope you're all enjoying it so far, let me know if there's any other drivers you'd want to have a bigger part in the story!