Fifty Shades Of Red | Charles Leclerc

32. Forever

Hailey's pov

I take my time before getting into my car before the qualifying session starts, trying to soak everything in.

"How much do I have left?"

"Until this Sunday."

I shake my head, trying to get the memories of yesterday out of my head. My hands grip the halo of my car, my knuckles turning white as I put my body weight on it, inhaling a deep breath.

This can't be it...this can't be the end.

A feeling of disorientation has been following me since Christian broke down the news to me. I knew this was coming one day, I just thought I had more time. My journey wasn't that easy at the beginning but I managed to make my own place here and these people...feel like family to me now and Charles...

How will I even manage to tell him?

I went to bed last night with his arms wrapped around me and he could tell something was bothering me but when he saw I didn't want to talk about it, he let it go and tried his best to comfort me. I just didn't have the heart to say anything. Instead, I lied there with him and pretended that this was forever...until I woke up this morning and reality hit me hard in the face.

I really don't want to lose this...him.

"Don't worry, get in the car whenever you want to." Elliot, one of the car engineers says with a sarcastic voice "It's not like quali will start without the best driver on the grid."

"You always praise me too much E." I say, grabbing my helmet to put it on.

"It's well deserved." He shrugs before walking away.

As soon as I put my hands on the wheel, everything else fades. This is what I've always loved about driving and racing. It doesn't matter if I'm carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders, once I'm inside my car, it's only me, the wind and the finish line.

Now it's time to focus more than ever. I have to make these last few moments that I get count.

                               -—————-

I place more pressure on the gas pedal, making my car run faster as I count down the last few minutes of Q3. 10 drivers out, 10 still on the track, battling it out for pole position. I focus my attention ahead, not letting anything or anyone distract me until a red car in front of me takes a huge swerve, it's tyres painting the asphalt black as the screeching sound cuts through the air like a knife.

Charles.

The crowd cheers die down and I slow down a bit, feeling my heart beating faster as I hold my breath, my mouth dry. Charles crushes his car at the safety barriers, smoke coming out of his front part.

"Hailey, we're losing speed." I hear my team's race engineer speak to me through the radio.

"Is he alright?" I ask with a shaky voice, forcing myself to hit the gas pedal instead of stopping in place, cold sweat dripping down my neck as my car gains speed and puts some distance, leaving his car behind.

I can't breathe.

"We don't know yet. Keep pushing."

I watch the car with number 16 on my side mirror as it gets smaller and smaller the further away I drive. Everything else around me fades into a blur, my mind anywhere but at the road in front of me as my body is engulfed by panic.

"Is he alright?!" I shout this time, frustration getting the best of me as no one is informing me about Charles.

Should I just turn back?