Here With Me - A Formula 1 Story

Gilded Lily

The following day I end up watching Charles' race because I couldn't help myself. He didn't do well and he was arguing with his engineers over the radio pretty much the whole race which he rarely does. I'm not sure if our conversation was the cause to him doing badly or if he's just having an off day but I try not to let myself feel guilty. It's not my fault. He's the one who brought this on himself. I had a few texts from him this morning when I woke up but ignored them, there was also another Spotify notification. I did notice that there were no photos of Charlotte today, which I find interesting.

 Ezra had his race today too, which I'm hoping to hear from him about soon. I am still reeling from finding out what I did and I'm not sure how I'm going to even bring it up, but I need to do it as soon as possible because I need to get to the bottom of it. I'm laying in bed, scrolling Instagram, debating on whether or not I should finally make a profile since now it doesn't seem to matter since my parents seemed to find us anyways. I decide that I might as well since I've always wanted to. As I just finish setting up my account, Ezra calls me.

"Hey baby. How was your race?" I ask when I answer the phone.

"I didn't do very well, P4." He replies sadly, sounding dejected.

"It's okay baby. That's still really great!" I reply, trying to cheer him up because P4 is still really awesome.

"Not really, I didn't get any prize money." He admits and my stomach sours.

"Money isn't everything Ez."

"Says the woman who has always had two or three jobs. Money is all you think about."

"Do you think all that money goes to me? For me to spend the way I want it to? There's a reason I've always worked two to three jobs!"   

"You should be able to live off of one income Mama. You only have your cell phone, rent and utilities to pay for." He says and I snap.

"I'm also paying what your sponsors aren't covering, I have been since the beginning of your time in Italy. There's also my student loans that I have to pay."

"What are you talking about? My sponsors cover the whole cost of being here. And what student loans? I thought you got scholarships?"

"No baby, they don't. I have to pay $20,000 a year for you to be here. And I did get scholarships but I also had to take out student loans."

"Why haven't you told me this until right now?" He demands, sounding upset.

"Because you didn't need to stress about it. I wanted you to focus on your dream because I was going to make it happen for you. But now, I'm not so sure it's been worth it...since you've been taking money from your grandparents behind my back for months." I say sadly, as tears fall down my face.

"How....How did you find out?" He stutters out after a few moments of tense silence.

"I was stress cleaning last night and found your bank statement on your desk. I saw the amount and was confused until I saw who has been depositing money into your account."

"So you were snooping in my room?!" He shouts and I flinch from his anger.

"Blame me all you want. But just remember I'm the one who has always provided for you. They may have money, but they are horrible people who abandoned me when I needed them the most." I cry, hating that my parents are still making me cry almost 16 years later.

"They didn't abandon me though! They told me that they have been looking for me my whole life!" He shouts and I laugh sardonically.

"They told you that? They are still as manipulative as ever."