Blinded - Charles Leclerc

Chapter 4

The question about Charlotte has been nagging my mind ever since me and Lando went out. Today is qualifying and I have ignored Charles ever since Wednesday. I'm afraid I'll jump him with questions if I see him and I can't do that. I don't even want to know.

Maybe he was already seeing her without telling me. Maybe he had been seeing her for a long time and I was an idiot for never noticing and for falling for a guy with a girlfriend. No, wait. He's an idiot. If he did see her without telling me, he's an ass. And if he didn't, he's still an ass.

I watch the second session of qualifying play out in front of me. Daniel just set the fastest lap and the team is cheering loudly around me. Max is in the middle of the second sector and up three tens of a second compared to Daniel.

The qualifying hour ends with Max on pole and Daniel P2. The team is buzzing with energy and we get over to congratulate the two. I walk with them over and embrace both Max and Daniel.

"Did you ask him?" I shake my head to Max. He's asking about Charles of course. He's been on me about it for three days now. For some reason he really wants us to figure this out.

"I'm not sure I want to" I hesitate.

"I think you should. You don't have to love him. You don't even have to like him, but you should ask him. For yourself, to get some clarity." I nod to his wise words.

"Congrats champ." He gives me another hug.

"Thanks. I have to go, but just think about it." I agree to that, without actually lying. Because I'm already thinking about it.

I watch the man in red walk by. I saw he placed himself in P8. He doesn't look too thrilled when he walks by me. He turns his head up and like he knows I'm watching him he meets my eyes immediately. I expect him to give me a dirty look but instead he nods. He doesn't even reach close to a smile, but a nod as a greeting.

I don't answer his nod, but I keep my eyes set on him. He does the same. Even when he stands on the scale. Even when he gets handed the note with his weight. Even when he takes his racing suit off halfway. He keeps his eyes on mine.

After qualifying I come with Max to his interviews. He manages them well and it gives me a little time to think. I guess Max notices I don't have a major energy level now and that's why he's not pressuring me to take a part of the interviews like I've done before. I'm present but I can't seem to focus on what is said.

"What's on you mind?"

"Guess,"

"And what are you leaning towards?" I let out a sigh.

"Talking to him. I'm still mad at him. But I feel like I need to know." He nods to me and puts an arm over my shoulders.

"I don't wanna pressure you, but I think it's better to know than not to know." I know he's right which is why my eyes start looking around me until I see the red suit.

"Thanks Max. I'll see you later, okay?" He nods and offer me a smile before walking off back to Red Bull.

I wait until I see Charles has finished his interview before walking up to him. I feel the butterflies in my stomach as I approach him. He looks up to me and I'm at a loss for words for a few seconds. I look him in the eyes and I seem to get stuck there for a moment. "Can I talk to you?"

He just nods and without a word he leaves his PR-manager alone, walking beside me. We walk next to each other without a word for a while. I try to gather up my words.

"What about?"

I don't turn to look at him, I just keep walking. "Charlotte." I can sense the way he freezes beside me but still walking.

"Okay..." he sounds nervous. Uncertain. It's unusual nowadays. I've become used to him being this cold mad man not showing much else than anger. At least towards me.

"Did you date her before the summer break?" Now he stops in his tracks. He looks at me with a shocked face.

"What?"

"Yeah, had you met her when we were in Monza?" He shook his head immediately to my question.

"No, why would you think so?"

I picked up my phone to search for the photo Lando had found on Wednesday. "Please don't ask me how I found this, but I did. And it's taken in Monza last year." I show him the phone and at the same time I feel my heart rate pick up. This might be a huge mistake.

He grabs my phone to look closer at the photo. He zooms in and it takes him a few seconds to say something but he looks really confused.

"Look, I'd never met her here." He starts walking again and hands me back my phone. "I was really upset when we got back from St Barths and I met Charlotte on a night out. She spent the night in my apartment, in a different room than me though. I wasn't really into it, or her. And she stayed and somehow she managed to follow me to Singapore. We talked a little and that's why it looked like we arrived together. But I have actually no idea what that picture shows. I didn't know she was there in Monza, or who she even was at the time." I try to process his words. Now that he's explaining it all, it sounds believable. And if it actually is true, this woman might be crazy.

"Why haven't you said this to me?" He looks down to the grown and I frown at his reaction.

"Well, you've hated me. And to be honest I've been quite mad at you too. I wasn't really in the mood to tell you," he shrugged. His answer actually irritates me a lot.

"You weren't in the mood? You weren't in the mood to tell your best friend the real reason you hurt her?"

"Well, when you put it that way..." I sigh and he just keeps walking nonchalantly. We reach the parking lot and he walks right up to his Ferrari. "You're going somewhere?"

I shrug. "I guess I'm going back to my hotel."

"Let's go then." I frown at him. He jumps in the car, expecting me to take his ride. When I stand still he rolls down the window on his side. "Do you want a ride, or not?" I just shake my head and walk up to him. I lean against the car over him.

"I think I'll manage on my own. Thanks though," I answer him with a bit of sarcasm and then I walk away.

I get back to the hotel by a taxi instead. It costed me more than a dinner at a five star restaurant but it was definitely worth it to prove my point.