Here With Me - A Formula 1 Story

I Burned LA Down

Five days have passed since I lost my job. It's also been five days of not hearing a peep from Charles even after sending him multiple texts. He actually hasn't even responded since that initial text telling me he'll call me. If that's not telling me he's over it, then what is? I start giving up even trying to tell him I'm potentially leaving the country. Kelly is telling me to try harder to get ahold of him, but why should I? Why should I put in so much energy when he's not? Besides I'm starting to think he wouldn't even notice if I was gone, nor care for that matter. 

Kelly threatens that Max will tell him if I don't, but he already texted me saying he wouldn't be the one to tell Charles. Lando also knows everything that went down as well, and he also offered to help look for a job for me. I don't know how I got lucky enough to find these people, I guess that's one good thing about this whole situation with Charles. He introduced me to some amazing people, and I thought he was included in that, but now I'm not so sure. 

It's Thursday, the week of the Netherlands Grand Prix and it's Max's home race. He invited me to go but I declined, not wanting to cause drama on his big weekend. I'm currently watching the media interviews the drivers are doing. Max, Charles, Carlos, Lando and Pierre are all in one group which is kind of crazy honestly. It's been entertaining even though I've mainly just been staring at Charles. He looks the same, good, not even remotely sad or heartbroken. It makes me irrationally angry. 

"Charles, can you tell us anything about your relationship with Lydia Kincaid?" A journalist asks and I freeze as I sit and wait for him to answer. He fidgets with his bracelet he's wearing around one of his fingers as he looks down at the microphone.

"I'm not sure what you want to know." He laughs awkwardly before continuing.

"I'm mentoring her son, Ezra in his soon to be transition into Formula 3, along with being one of his sponsors through my maman and papas non-profit. Uhh, and she's a wonderful mother and I enjoy spending time with her and her son." He finishes and I can't believe he basically just said that all I am is Ezra's mom, not his girlfriend. Based on Max and Lando's faces they are just as angry and shocked as I am. Charles smiles as he lowers the mic, like he didn't just break my heart.

"So there's nothing romantic going on between the two of you?" The reporter hedges for more information. Charles sighs and brings the mic up again to speak.

"No." He replies and I turn off the tv, not wanting to hear or see anymore. It's at that moment that I decide he doesn't deserve to know if I might have to leave to go back home to the United States. I'm distracted by my thoughts when my phone rings next to me. I don't look at the name as I answer the phone.

"What the fuck is going on Mama?!" Ezra says when the call connects. I cringe because I didn't want to tell Ez the truth about everything yet but I should have known he'd be watching.

"I told you Ez, they were classic PR statements. He was trained to respond that way!!" I hear Arthur shout in the background and I hear Ezra tell him to shut up before I'm assuming walking to another room because it gets quieter.

"Mama, what's going on? Why is Charles saying those things? I don't understand what he's talking about with the sponsorship?" He asks again, this time sounding so completely sad.

"There's a lot baby. I was waiting to tell you because I wanted to have a plan in motion so you wouldn't freak out." I say and it was the wrong thing to say because he starts freaking out asking what I'm talking about.

"Breathe baby. I guess I should start from the beginning and how I found out about the sponsorship." I say and then I proceed to tell him everything up until this point. By the end of it, it's silent on his side of the phone but then I hear him sniffling and I realize he's crying.