Fayen's yaw drops at hearing those words from the driver. The arrogance, she had been totally right when she had judged him. Her stomach clenches at the thought of the poor woman this man takes to his bed. Serving one purpose only. She could only imagine the disappointment and heartbreak they would go through when they found out they were just one of many for Charles Leclerc.
"Mate." Max's voice sounds through the fake plants Fayen is standing behind. She is brought back to reality and realises she is still eavesdropping on a conversation which she would rather not have heard. Walking away quickly she leaves the two and walks to the bar, like her original plan had been.
"What?" Charles finishes his drink and looks cocky at Max. The man gives him a piercing look and Charles feels the judgement flowing from his eyes. He can't keep up the pretence and lets his expression fall, looking at the ground. He doesn't have to say anything else and not a second later feels the strong arm of Max gripping him.
"I know it's still hard, but you don't need to lash out like that. I know you better and won't be fooled by big balls." Charles laughs at that with a sad undertone. He straightens his shoulders a little and takes a breath in. "It's not like I still miss her or something, I'm just scared I guess," he mumbles, playing with his empty glass.
"For what?"
That is a good question and one Charles doesn't have a direct answer to. To get hurt again. To trust people fully and have that trust broken. To get distracted and underperform. To get distracted and lose focus on his racing goals. Charles spirals into a thought train and forgets he was having a conversation in which his interlocutor still expects an answer. He forces a crooked smile on his lips and winks at the Dutchman.
"Never mind."
Max eyes his friend as they make their way through the crowd to join the others, so Max can get to know Grace as well. He knows Charles is over his break-up with Charlotte, but the fear of hurt is still there. He wonders if it'll ever go away completely, but for now he mainly worries that Charles is dealing with too much pressure and doesn't have an outlet for his emotions.
The drivers need to push aside their thoughts when they near the little group they were looking for. Lando and Daniel are accompanied by two women. The blonde one is standing closer to Lando, almost matching his height. That must be Grace, Max thinks to himself. Next to them Daniel is talking and the other woman is listening interested.
Charles' gaze is immediately fixated on Fayen. The floor length black dress hugs her body and shows it off in all the right places. Her dark brown hair is wavy and frames her face beautifully. Her make-up is very natural but her lips are coloured bright red which accentuates their plumpness. The smile that plays on those lips and reflects in her stormy grey eyes make her look divine.
Max looks over his shoulder when Charles isn't next to him anymore. The sight of Charles makes him smirk a little when he follows his gaze to see the person at the end of it. Fayen looks gorgeous and grown up. Max can see the girl in her, but she definitely wasn't little anymore. "Don't drool."
Charles blinks a couple of times before turning to Max. "What?" he asks in confusion. "That you need to come along and stop eye-fucking her." Max gestures his head in the direction of Fayen, who is still in conversation and doesn't seem to notice the two men speaking about her at a short distance.
The Monegasque makes a face at Max and huffs. "I wasn't looking at her." Max pulls up his eyebrows at him and hums in a 'yeah-right' way. "I was just avoiding bumping into people!" Charles tries to defend himself, but the shame on his cheeks is clearly visible as they turn dark red. He walks on quickly and Max follows, chuckling behind his fist.
"There you are, I thought you were right behind us!" Lando greets the two and lays his arm on Grace's back. "Max, this is my girlfriend, Grace. Grace, Max Verstappen, the two time world champion." They shake hands and smile at each other, before Max turns to Lando.
"Is that the only thing I am to you?" Lando laughs and shrugs. They all laugh when Max pulls an offended face. "It is an impressive thing," Grace offers, trying to save Max's dignity.
"And I'm told you remember Fayen?" Grace gestures to her friend who smiles at the driver. He in his turn smiles and nods as well. "Yeah, but the last time we saw each other you were about..." Max looks like he is waiting for Fayen to fill in as he doesn't fully remember.
"Around 13?" Fayen says with a chuckle.
Max nods at her. "Something like that, you look good." Fayen smiles at him, accepting the compliment. "That's so sweet, thanks. You've made quite the name for yourself since then." Max tries to be humble by shrugging it off, but the other three drivers present start defending him by praising him into the heavens.
They all laugh, including Max. "Maybe someone will steal it from me this year." He nudges Charles who gives him a half grin back. That is the moment Fayen is aware of Charles, who had been standing a little off to the side until now. Her eyes carefully glide to the driver and the hot abhording feeling burns in her stomach and she tries her best not to look at his eyes.
"I'll give you a run for it." That is Lando and all the drivers laugh again.
Charles' eyes equally dart to Fayen, his smile still on his face. She senses the pull of his eyes on her and can't help but meet them with her own. The smile makes him look even better than he normally does. He ruffels a hand through his hair and Fayen needs to bite the inside of her lip to keep her mouth from falling open. She wants to take in every millimeter of his face, but then his words from minutes ago pop up into her mind and her expression grows cold. She quickly averts her gaze, concentrating back upon the conversation going on.
Charles still looks at her, not knowing what had happened. She just gave him a cold shoulder and just as in Australia he feels a hotness bubble in his stomach. Not knowing what he has done he tries to catch her gaze again. Maybe this was his opportunity to talk to her. But Fayen keeps looking everywhere, except to the Ferrari driver.
That he is trying to catch her eye doesn't go unnoticed by her. From the corner of her eye she follows his every move, without giving him the satisfaction of crossing looks. It is getting on her nerves and she shifts from one leg to the other.
"Do you need the restroom?" Grace whispers to her. Fayen snaps her head to her friend, ready to respond negatively but it's actually not a bad idea to get away from the group, from him, for a moment. So, she nods at her friend. "You stay here, I'll also make a turn around the room." Grace nods and she turns to the men. "Excuse me," she says curtly with a smile before walking off.
At the restroom a couple of people are waiting in line and as she doesn't actually need to go she takes a different route, walking through the open sliding doors onto an empty balcony. Since it's only April it's quite chilly outside, but the hot feeling inside her hasn't left so the cold air is a welcome chance for a bit. She walks to the edge of the balcony railing and rests her arms upon them to look over brightly lit Monte Carlo on her left and the dark Mediterranean in front of her, behind the marina. She takes a breath and the smell of sea settles in her nostrils.
"I told you the city is beautiful at night." She jumps at the unexpected voice behind her. Without turning around she throws her head in her neck of irritation. This man doesn't understand boundaries.
He stands next to her, his behind against the railing and his arms crossed. Luckily he leaves enough space, so he doesn't notice the warmth radiating off her.
She is not in the mood to go arguing with him over something so insignificant, so she just turns her head to meet his stare. The mossy green eyes are glimming with the reflection of the citylights, his face is serious, but the corner of his mouth curls when her gaze lands on him.
"Are you following me?"
Charles makes an innocent face and holds his hands up in defence. "Coming in peace," he answers. She only nods and turns back to look at the marina in front of her.
Charles can't help himself but keeps looking at the brunette. Her appearance is so mesmerising he is incapable of diverting his gaze. She feels his eyes burning on her and she closes her eyes and sighs. "Is there something you need?" She tries to keep her voice natural, but it still comes out blunt.
He shakes his head and takes his bottom lip between his teeth. That needs to be illegal for men to do, as Fayen her eyes are drawn immediately to his lips. A blush creeps up on her cheeks as she realises she is staring at the man's lips. She quickly ajusts her position so she is turned to him, pulling her eyebrows to make an asking expression.
He releases his lip and clicks his tongue before speaking. "Well, there was something bothering me." He starts playing with the ring on his little finger, now avoiding her seeking eyes by looking at his hands. "Why are you so mean?"
Fayen's expression shifts from an asking one into a mixture of confusion, shock and anger. "I am mean?!" she blurts out. "You are the one taunting me and telling my brother things he shouldn't know." She pushes off the railing, crossing her arms, turning fully to him. He looks up at her, the fire in her eyes makes him uncomfortable and also irritated. "It was just a question," he shrughs stepping alittle closer to her. "What's your deal?" He looks actually confused and Fayen scoffs at the man taking a step back.
"Look, the moment we met those years ago was not my best moment and I was not my best self. And I didn't need you of all people seeing that, but it happened." She takes a breath, before continuing. "But you don't have the right to tell my brother any of it or taunt me with side comments about that evening, because we both know it wasn't your finest moment as well." His face is flat and he is trying to grasp what she is saying.
"No, it wasn't," he admits, leaning back against the railing. "But I don't get why you're mean to me about it now. It's annoying and, frankly, immature as well." She laughs mockingly at him and throws her arms in the air in annoyance, stepping into his personal space to get her angry expression across.
"Immature? Someone doesn't like you and you can't stand it," Fayen hisses trhough her theeth, her face close enough that she can distiguise his unevenesses in his face. "You are a play-boy and a rake. On top of that you are arrogant, self-absorbed and rude." Fayen's voice is icey calm, in contrats with the hot burning anger inside her as she steps back a little. She does not fully know where her rage is coming from but needing to get it out.
The finger pointing at the brunette almost toutches her chest when Charles awnsers to her accusations. "You don't even know me!" His voice is sharp and it has lost the teasing tone that always lingerd in it.
Fayen flicks her hair over her shoulder and stands straight, leaning forward so the outstretched finger sinks into her skin. "I know that I don't owe you an explanation for anything, on the last place my own behaviour."
And with that she turns around and walks back into the venue leaving a hot-headed Charles behind to cool off outside as the little finger sized spot on her skin still burns.
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