The unknown driver

chapter fourty-two

Amelia POV

Our eyes meet and I stand still in shock.
He looks terrible. His skin is pale and he has big bags under his eyes. He looks like he hasn't been sleeping for weeks. 
Carlos pulls him away and our moment is over. 
I follow Max to another interview. He walks over to an interviewer while I walk over to the other.
"Oh Amelia Thatcher. How are you?", she asks me.
"I'm great and you?", I say and give her a smile.
"Good thank you. Can I ask you some questions?"
"Of course you can", I say and smile at her politely.
"So how was winterbreak?"
"Oh it was awesome. It really was a great time with my friends and everything. I aslo got to rest a bit and everything."
"Even after you broke your arm?"
"Yes. I was not very happy about it but I couldn't change it so. But it healed very good"
"Will you be driving this weekend?"
"No, probably not because my wrist is still not fully healed but I'm trying to get back on track."
"Glad to hear", she says and smiles at me again.
"You did a podcast with an influencer right?"
"Uhm yes I did"
"What are the topics or what did you talk about in the podcast?"
"We talked about my life and everything"
"Tell me if I cross a boarder but is it true that you talked about sexual assult?"
"Yes it is."
"Hard topic or not?"
"Yes of course it is but you need to speak about it. I know there are a lot of women living out there with the same experience as I had and I want to share my story with them. And for them to know they're not alone"
"So is your new tattoo that we saw on social media some weeks ago dedicated to that?"
"Yes it is"
"Wow", she says and looks to the ground a little speechless.
"It was great talking to you but I need to leave again. Bye", I say and leave.
The past two months I've been focused on myself only. I started to open up and I actually gained my ability to have fun and be happy back. It was hard but I managed and I'm proud about that. It's still hard to talk about it but I want to tell other girls or women that they're not alone. That's why I agreed on the podcast. I wanted to share my story.
I give a few more interviews until I finally get to go to my driver room. I lay down and just breathe for a few minutes. 
"Amelia the dinner starts in an hour", Max says as he enters my room.
"Coming", I say and take my bag before leaving the paddock with him.

Charles POV

How can she be that happy without me? I'm a wreck and she's happier than ever.
"Charles?", the woman asks me again.
"Oh sorry what?", I say and look at her.
"Well that girl over there asked about your relationsship with Amelia".
The whole crowd looks at me. Suddenly I feel like I need to vomit.
"Oh we're not talking", I say and look at the ground.
They stay silent for a moment before she goes on and asks Carlos a question.
Since she left I've been feeling empty. 
Nothing makes me happy anymore.
Maybe it sounds a little dramatic like that but trust me, I'm not making this up. The past two months I've been sitting alone at home or training. 
The crowd starts clapping and Carlos waves at them. I do the same as him and we leave the stage.
"Is everything okay Charles?", Carlos asks me as we walk away.
"Yeah sure", I say and keep looking at my feet as we walk to the garage.
"You can talk to me Charles."
"I said everything's okay.", I say a little louder.
I start walking away but he grabs my arm.
"What the fuck man?", I ask him and snatch my arm away.
"Stop acting this way. Bro she broke up with you we get it but don't loose yourself now. You're still the same person as you were a year ago. You're Charles Leclerc so act like it alright? I  get it that the break up is hard but get yourself together. It's race time again and I don't want you to crash and die. Oh and I'm done with the way your acting. You treat your friends like shit and that's not fair"
I look at him with wide eyes.
"Fuck you Carlos", I say and start walking away.

Amelia POV

I have just walked around the corner when I see Carlos and Charles. I wait for a second and notice that they're arguing over something.
"Fuck you Carlos", he says and walks away. Carlos rolls his eyes and puts his hand on his forehead annoyed. 
I walk up to him.
"Is everything okay?". He turns around and looks at me with an annoyed look.
"No it's not but you should already know that"
"What do you mean?" I look at him questioningly.
"Please Amelia. You know what I'm talking about. Don't act like you don't know.", he says and walks away while I stand there in shock.
Was he talking about Charles?
"Are you alright?", Lando asks me as he approaches me.
"I don't know"
"You don't know?"
"Lando what's up with Charles?", I ask and he looks to the ground.
"Lando tell me"
"Are you sure?", he asks me.
"Yes I need to know"
"The night you broke up with him. Pierre and I followed him to his appartment. Everything was shatterd on the ground and he was cowering in a corner crying histericaly. He couldn't belive that you didn't love him anymore. Since then he hasn't talked to any of us really. He ignored mine and Pierres calls and messages and when we knocked at his door he didn't open it. Arthur told us that he isn't eating well and that he's just not feeling well mentaly. Amelia he has a lot of problems at the moment"
"Is it my fault?", I ask him as tears come to my eyes.
"Why your fault?"
"Lando is it my fault Charles feels like that?"
He remains silent.
"Shit. I wanted him to move on Lando. I told him that I didn't love him because I thought it would be easier for him to move on. I didn't want him to wait for me and cure my problems when he has his own. God Lando it's all my fault. And what do I do about it. I go to a podcast and talk about my live while he has noone to talk to."
"Amelia it's not your fault"
"Yes Lando it is", I say and walk away.
It's all my fault. I thought he would be sad for a month or so but not like that. I thought he would at least try to move on. But instead he closes up and doesn't let anyone in. I have to help him. I have to do things right.
I go to my driver room and lay down for a second.