Rivals - Charles Leclerc

Collision and Illusions

Chapter 4

Ava's POV

Dear god, I spilled champagne on Charles Leclerc. This was not good.

"I'm so sorry," I said frantically, passing him the napkins I hurriedly had grabbed from the counter next to us, making him chuckle slightly.

"It's really alright, see I barely had anything left in that glass anyways," He replied completely calm as he patted away the small spot of liquid on the top of his jacket. "See all good," he reassured again, his lips curing up into a sweet smile.

His overall calmness struck me as surprising, not something I would have expected out of him. Everything that I've read or seen about him before this has usually been him in some sort of sparring match with another driver. I half expected him to curse me out or something.

"Hey you're the new Red Bull driver, no? Ava right?" He abruptly said as my eyes shot up to meet his. Charles Leclerc knew my name? Holy shit.

"Uhhh yeah..." I said nervously back, "Charles...right" I quickly added, something that he picked up on as he let out a slight chuckle.

"Don't worry, I don't bite," He said in a tone that I couldn't quite decipher; extending his hand to shake mine.

Was Charles flirting with me? Or was he being slightly Cocky? I had to be overthinking this. I returned the gesture, shaking his hand as a wave of awkwardness washed over the two of us. Neither he nor I quite know what to do or say next.

"So, what were you in a rush for?" Charles finally says, breaking the awkward 30-second silence between the two of us.

"I was looking for my friend, I seem to have lost her," I replied as he nodded his head a bit, understanding my situation. Looking around at the room not crammed full of people, noting how busy it now was.

"Well, do you need some help? So you don't crash into anyone else," he says jokingly back at me, making me a little embarrassed.

"No, it's fine I'm sure she's not too far," I reply as my eyes start to scan the crowd hoping that she is close to us. Charles does the same as if he is following my eyeline as I look over the now massive crowd of people around us. And to nobody's surprise, Marisa was nowhere to be found.

"Any luck?" he asks again as I let out a little chuckle, meeting his gaze. My head shaking a bit to admit that his offer may be the best idea after all.

"Have you checked outside? Maybe she went to get some air," He asked as I tilted my head sideways in confusion.

"Outside?" I said back to him. I had no idea that there was another place to go besides here this whole time.

"Yes outside, here, follow me," he quickly replies as he grabs my wrist to lead me out of the ballroom.

Charles Leclerc was holding my wrist. Charles Leclerc was holding my wrist? The Charles leclerc was holding my wrist! What kind of world was I living in? I had no idea, but I was not going to attempt to complain about this. While Charles wove us through the crowd of people, I felt my heart start to flutter slightly, the arm that he was holding growing hotter by the minute.

I had no idea why he had this effect on me, but I was scared to find out. After a few minutes of weaving through the sea of guests, we finally made it to two double doors to the side of the party that opened out towards a terrace overlooking a massively elaborate garden.

The yard was beautifully laid out with tons more perfectly trimmed hedges with exotic flowers and plants surrounding the landscape of the back of the house. I could see from the balcony a few more fancy fountains that were scattered along the woven maze of bushes along the property as the beautiful sight of it all had my eyes glued in front of me.