Falling Flat

Chapter 1.

Sofia flopped onto her back. The plush comforter of the hotel bed puffing up  as it settled around her splayed out body. It had been a long and hectic week, and she had to do it all over again in 6 days, she was looking forward to a little bit of peace and quiet tonight.

She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself out of the bed long enough to ditch the sweaty ferrari jacket and slacks and wipe her makeup off.

She stood, making her way to her suitcase and then the brightly illuminated bathroom. Not having bothered to turn the main lights of the  bedroom on, the bathroom cast a white glow into the hallway. The dim light source cast long shadows on the walls around her.

She stared at her tired eyes in the hotel mirror. Good God she needed a looong, restful night. Cleansing her skin and swapping her work clothes for a comfy pair of shorts and a tank top she let out a sigh of relief when sticking her tooth brush in her mouth. Last step.

As she scrubbed away at her canines, she could hear the muffles sounds of laughter and the vauge vibration of music. The hotel had hosted an after race party for all the drivers and staff but she was simply to exhausted to attend. She didn't doubt that most of the grid was down there, drinking their nights away. One thing Sofia had learned in her career working in media was that people who worked in F1 sure know how to party.

On some nights she'd be down there with them, downing shot after shot and dancing until her heels broke off, but after the week she had had? No way.

The muffled party sounds grew louder and quieter with the mood of the crowd, but but she was greatful that it shouldn't be enough to keep her awake tonight. As she went to spit her toothpaste, a sharp knock jolted her out of her sleepy thoughts.

She sticks her toothbrush in the corner of her mouth and peaks around the doorway. Sure enough, through the small sliver of light coming from underneath the hotel door, she could see the shadow of two shoes standing right outside.

Sofia didn't remeber requesting room service, and midnight seemed much to late for housekeeping.

She walked over, her bare feet padding quietly on the carpeted floor. She pulled the hotel door open, and her toothbrush almost fell to the floor.

Before her stood Carlos sainz. THE Carlos Sainz. The driver she barely consider a coworker. They would chat occasionally, after all, she did was help them film social media content, but that didn't make them friends.

She took in the state of the Spanish man in front of her. He stood less than a foot from the door. His tall stature blocked the light from the hallway, casting a shadow over her. She squinted at the brightness flowing in from around him as her eyes adjusted.

He looked...disheveled. his collarshirt was untucked and partially unbutton, slightly wrinkled--uncommon for him as she had only ever seen him with pristine, well pressed clothes--His dark hair was tousled and out of place and his breath smelled strongly of alcohol.

"Uhm, Carlos? Are you okay?"

He stared down at her, his dark eyes nothing more than black pits against the light behind him.

"I..uh..I need to see you"

His words came out slowly with just enough slurr to them for Sofia to hear it through his thick accent.

She gripped the door frame, staring up at him before hesitantly opening the door wider to indicate that he should come in. He stumbled past her into the dim hotel room and took a seat on the edge of her bed. She turned to him and slowly closed the door behind her.

It wasn't that she was afraid. Carlos had always been kind and well mannered at work and they often would share a laugh or two, but she and Carlos were far from close friends,  so his sudden --drunk-- appearance at her door was somewhere between confusing and concerning.

"Is there anybody with you Carlos?" She asked quietly. She knew Carlos and Charles were close outside of work and found it odd that Charles wasn't with him. "Where is Charles?"

"Come..sit"
Carlos clumsily gestured to the edge of the bed next to him, ignoring her question.

"Let me grab you some water first. Okay?" She asked him, trying to get any type of clue as to why, out of everybody, he had chosen to show up at her door. She walked to the kitchenette and filled a glass with water while quickly scrolling through her contacts to find Charles's number.

She typed out a quick message with her room number, the situation and why she needed Charles to come collect his teammate asap,  before returning to Carlos and handing him the glass.

He managed a sip without spilling it and then sat is down on the bedside table as sofia sat gently next to him on the bedside.

"You know I noticed you the first day you started working for ferrari" He mumbled. He could barley sit up straight and Sofia just looked at him with concern, unsure of what to do.

"You-....you remind me of the spring in- in" He hiccuped " Barcelona". He was speaking so jumbled together she barley made out his sentences, but the compliment made her blush.

She stared at his face, his dark stubble starting to grow in more after the week away from home, his dark eyes held an emotion that was too clouded by the alcohol in his system for her to decipher.

She tried to interpret his expression, his voice, anything. But she couldn't read him. She had no idea what he could be thinking.

He sighed. "What can I do to get your attention" -another hiccup- "I have done everything-thing I can think of"

Surely this wasn't what she thinks it is. He isn't confessing to her right now? Is he?
Sofia suddenly became aware of the lack of space between them. She could smell the alcohol on his breath and feel his knee pressed against hers.

"Can I-- can I kiss you" He suddenly asked. His gaze was unfocused but his dark eyes burned into her nonetheless.

She blinked. Too stunned to respond. She gulped.

" Carlos I-"

Just then a pounding on her door startled them both.

"You guys still in there? I came for Carlos!" The French accent came through the door, loud and clear.

"Oh that mu-must be Charles" Sofia stammered out as she stood. She heard Carlos lay back as she headed for the door.

She opened the door and Charles walked past her, stopping in front of the bed and chuckling at a now snoring Carlos.

"Sorry I took so long, pierre kept trying to get me to dance." She just stared at him, to stunned to process everything that was going on.

Charles raised an eyebrow at her.  
" You okay mate? Did he wake you?" The monegasque asked, looking her up and down.

Her blush deepened at his comment, suddenly rember that she is in her pajamas infront of the driver.

He smirked

"Oh no, uh no its not like that, sorry uh, could you wake him?" She rambled

Charles obliged, getting Carlos somewhat upright and heading out the still open door.

Sofia shut it behind him and pressed her back on the cool wood of the doorframe.

What just happened?.