「 A C T 1 」
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Isabella Romero
"Bow down to your queen, peasant" I shout, putting on my best fancy accent as I stand onto of the large king bed in my hotel room
"Please do not hurt me your highness, I shall worship you forever" Eloise begs, sat on the floor below me. I laugh, watching her face also contort to one of laughter
"We should do something fun tonight, go clubbing or something" She suggests, sitting on the edge of the bed as I jump down, slouching down beside her
"That depends. Do you promise not to run away again and get lost?" I tease, nudging her shoulder
"Hey! That was one time and if I remember correctly, that only happened because you suggested we go somewhere else and then decided to go to the bathroom when I wasn't looking. I thought you were following me!"
"Fine, blame the innocent" I say, raising my hands in defeat, "I'll order some food, can't go out on an empty stomach"
"Oooh, get a cheese pizza and chips please"
"Really? I feel like that's all I've eaten for the last week"
"That seems like a you problem"
"Oh yeah? And when it comes to paying for it, who's problem will that be?" I receive silence indicating I'd won, "That's what I thought"
"Okay, we have two options" I say, walking out of the closet, "Either the red slip or the off shoulder black dress" Holding the dress up, I switch between the two, inspecting them in the mirror. I had already done my hair and makeup, all that was left now was to pick my outfit
"Depends on if I can wear the one you don't" Eloise says, laying across the bed
"Fine, but don't ruin it"
"Promise" She replies, hooking her little finger with mine, "I think the black off shoulder"
"You only said that because you want to wear the red one"
"Maybe...but the black dress will look amazing on you, so it's a win for both of us"
"True" I reply, throwing her the red dress and holding the dress up in front of me. She rolls her eyes, rolling off of the bed
"Okay, I'm going to go put the dress and on and then we can go"
"Perfect"
"How do I look?" I ask, stepping out of the bathroom
"Like a greek goddess. You look amazing" She replies, fixing her dress in the mirror
"So do you, you look gorgeous as well. Must be because of my great fashion sense" She slaps my arm jokingly, laughing with me. After making sure everything is in place, I reach into my closet, taking out the black Dior saddle bag and placing my things in. I hear an audible gasp behind me
"When did you get that?" Elle asks, gawking at the purse. I laugh at expression
"My dad got me it for christmas as a gift for getting the seat at Mercedes this year"
"Maybe if you do that more often, you can give the one's you aren't using"
"And maybe if you're lucky, I can get you one for your birthday. Now let's go" I say, holding the door open for her
"Where are we going?" She questions as we walk down the hall to the elevator
"Honestly, I'm not sure. I'll ask someone at the reception desk if they know of any nearby" We step into the lift, pressing the ground floor button. Instead of going down, we go up and to my surprise, the door opens to reveal Lando, Alex, Williams' driver, and Lily, his girlfriend, and George, who was also a driver for Williams, all dressed to the nines
"Nice to see you both again" Lando says, all three stepping in, "Where are you off to?"
"We are going out to the clubs. Not sure where yet though"
"We're just heading out if you want to come with us?" Alex suggests, "We're going to meet some of the others"
"And I'd be happy to have people to dance with, they just stand around talking and get drunk" Lily complains, eliciting a laugh from us all
"I'll send you the address and we'll meet you there?" Lando offers
"To do that-" I say, pulling my phone out of my bag, "You'd need to have my number" I twist it around to face him
"Is that your subtle way of asking for my number" I roll my eyes, joining the others in laughter
"Just put it in the phone, Norris" He obliges, adding himself before taking out his own phone and immediately sending me a text
"We'll see you there" The door opens behind us, letting us into the foyer
"Great"
"This is your car?" Eloise asks, once again gawking at another luxury item I had been gifted. I nod, unlocking it as we walk over
"Why did I ever stop racing? I could have had all this?"
"I mean, it would have been pretty boring always losing to me"
"Yeah, yeah. Just get into the car and drive"
I step into the drivers seat, securing my belt before switching on the engine and pulling out the car park. Since I had yet to drive the car, I was surprised by the speed, weaving between a few cars until I get my bearings
"Aren't you meant to be a good driver?"
"Shut up. Can you input the address for me?"
The rest of the drive their we spend singing to the radio. The many coloured night club lights illuminates the street of the gorgeous city. Though the sun had already fallen, the temperature still remains above 30. Hopefully the club has some sort of air conditioning otherwise it will be extremely stuffy, hot bodies rubbing against one another as you dance. We pull up in front of a very exclusive club with what seems like a never ending queue which wraps around the building
"We're going to be waiting forever" Elle groans, slumping in her seat
"Hopefully not" I hand my keys to valet up front, walking up to yet another very large and brooding security guard
"Names?"
"Our names aren't on the list, we're-" I start, smiling sweetly at the man when he cuts me off
"If you're names not on the list, get to the back of the line"
"Sorry, it's just we're meeting friends, they should already be here" I try looking over his shoulder but he takes a step closer
"That's what they all say"
"Do you even know who she is?" Eloise steps in, trying to help, "This is Isabella Romero, a Formula One driver with Mercedes"
"Look, if you two don't move I will have you removed-" Another voice cuts him off
"There's no need. They're with me"
"Thank you" Eloise says, spinning around. Her face immediately falls. I slowly turn to face the voice
"Having some trouble?" Charles smirks, "Nice to finally see you again, Eloise" He nods politely. She smiles back warily, eyes switching between him and I as glare into him
"We don't need your help, thanks" I say snarkily, turning back to the large man
"Do you want to spend the rest of your evening out here?" He asks, stepping beside me. I can feel his breath as he watches me, smug smirk still on his lips
"No, thank you" Elle answers for us. Nodding, Charles steps up to the man
"Name?"
"Charles Leclerc" The man searches the list, eyes widening when he stops
"Sir, right this way-" Charles cuts him off
"Next time you talk to one of my friends that way, you'll be out of a job" He nods, closing his mouth and stepping out of the way. Charles steps to the side, turning to us
"After you" I follow Eloise, feeling Charles walk in behind us towards the bar. A hand presses against my back
"Where are you going?" He asks, stopping us
"Uh, to the bar" He laughs quietly
"You can get whatever you want brought to the table. We're going to the VIP section" He points to a deck upstairs which was being guarded by yet another miserable man. Was it part of their job description to be like that or did it come with the job?
He guides us, hand still against my lower back, through the crowds to the stairs. The guard immediately lets us pass, clearly recognising Charles
"You're here" Lando cheers from the table as we walk up, "We thought you bailed on us" As expected, many of the younger drivers on the grid were here
"Sorry" I apologise, "We had some trouble getting in"
"Until Charles swooped in and saved us" Eloise adds, receiving a glare from me
"All in a days work" He shrugs, sliding into the lifted booth beside Pierre
"Now that you're here we can really get started" George stops one of the waiters, "Can we get two shots for everyone?" He nods, leaving for only a few minutes before returning with a tray full of drinks, passing them out to all of us
"Salut!" They shout, all of us raising our glasses before taking the shots. I swallow, a wave of warmth envelops me, easing tension and igniting a sense of liberation amidst the pulsating rhythm of the club. I take the other immediately after, enjoying the sensation of it burning my throat
"I'm bored. Dance with me?" Lily asks, holding my arm
"Sure. Elle, you coming?" I turn a bit too fast, the few drinks I had already had catching up on me as I stumble slightly
"Obviously! Let's get those bodies moving, ladies. Vamanos!" I giggle, pulling both girls down the stairs and onto the dance floor
As the pulsating beat envelops us, we lose ourselves in the rhythmic sway of the dance floor. Lily's infectious energy electrifies the air around us, her movements fluid and graceful. Elle matches her enthusiasm with every step, her laughter ringing out amidst the thumping bass. Together, we become a whirlwind of motion, our bodies moving in perfect harmony to the music
Lost in the moment, I feel the weight of the world slip away as we dance under the vibrant lights. The crowd around us becomes a blur, our laughter and joy drowning out the noise of the club. With each passing second, I'm reminded of the simple pleasure of letting go and embracing the euphoria of the dance
Amidst the swirling sea of bodies, I catch a glimpse of the VIP section above. My gaze locks onto a familiar figure, Charles, his piercing eyes fixed on me with an intensity that sends a shiver down my spine. Despite the distance, his presence feels palpable, drawing me in with an irresistible allure
As our eyes meet, time seems to stand still, the chaos of the club fading into the background. In that fleeting moment, Charles's gaze holds mine with a smirk, a subtle challenge in his expression as he raises his glass to his lips
I tear my gaze away, the spell broken as I return to the dance with renewed fervour. Yet his lingering gaze lingers in the back of mind
"I'm going to get another drink" I shout over the music to the other two girls, "Do you want anything?"
"I'm good, thanks"
"Me too"
"Okay, I'll be back in a minute" Pushing through the masses of hot bodies rubbing against one another, I reach the bar, calling the bartender over and ordering another martini
"£11" He says, placing the drink in front of me
"Can you add it to the tab?"
"Yeah, what's the name?"
"Charles Leclerc" I reply, "Actually can I get two more of these?" He nods, making the other two as well
"Are these on the tab as well?"
"Yes, thank you" Balancing the three drinks in my hands, I push back to where I had originally been
"I thought you were only getting a drink for yourself? This is like £35" Elle shouts, happily taking the drink and handing the other to Lily
"You have Mister Leclerc too thank for these"
"He bought them for you?"
"Yeah, something like that. Now less talking, more dancing!" I throw back the drink, placing the glass on an empty table. New found confidence surges through my as I move my body to the beat, swept away in the music. Sudden cold fingertips wrapping around my waist. I turn my head to see the man, pressed against his chest. The clubs strobe lights allow me to make sense of his features. He's stands a few inches taller than me, about 6"0, and piercingly blue eyes. Curls fall over his face as he stares down at me
"You are a beautiful girl" He says, thick accent showing through, "What's your name?"
"Isabella" I giggle, looking over my shoulder to Lily and Elle who were both watching us, still dancing
"I'm Malik" He introduces, "A pretty girl like you should be dancing"
"Why don't you help me?"
As the man's hand intertwines with mine, he leads me further into the heart of the dance floor, his touch igniting a rush of anticipation within me. The music pulsates around us, drowning out the noise of the crowded club as we move in perfect sync. With each step, I feel the heat of his gaze upon me, a silent promise of the electric connection between us. Lost in the rhythm of the night, we become a whirlwind of motion, our bodies moving in seamless harmony amidst the flickering lights and pounding bass. In that moment, everything fades away except for the intoxicating energy between us, a tantalizing dance of desire that consumes us both. As the intensity of the music builds, I feel a surge of boldness coursing through me, and without hesitation, I press my body against his, matching his movements with a newfound confidence. The heat between us rises with each tantalizing grind, igniting a fire that burns hotter than the pulsing lights of the club
"Get your fucking hands off of her" The voice rips us back to reality. I look over my shoulder, rolling my eyes. Charles is stood about 4 foot away, eyes watching us with a fierce intensity
"Do you know him?" Malik asks
"Sadly" I mumble, "Mind your own business, Leclerc"
"Not going to happen"
"You heard the woman, mind your own business" At his words, Charles steps closer, coming eye to eye with him. Though Malik stood taller than Charles, he was still much more menacing
"Do you know who I am?" Charles asks
"Should I?"
"I could make your life very difficult. I suggest if you'd like to keep your hands, you keep them to yourself"
"My friends and I are going back to our house to party more. Would you like to come with us?"
"She's not going anywhere" Charles replies for me. Having had enough, I turn to Malik
"I'll be back in a minute" Grabbing his hand, I pull Charles behind me to a secluded corner
"Who do you think you are?" I ask angrily
"I'm protecting you, men like him aren't the type you want to spend time around"
"Oh that is rich coming from you"
"What's that supposed to mean?" He scoffs
"You know exactly what I mean. I'm going with him, no leave me alone" I try to step away but he grabs my arm tightly
"Let go of me!" I struggle under his grip, the alcohol making me weaker than usual
"You're drunk, the only person you'll be leaving with is me"
"I hate you so fucking much"
"Let's go" This time he grabs my hand, pulling me behind him and out of the club. Thankfully, he had grabbed my bag from Elle on the way out so I could complain to her
"Thank you" He says to the valet, taking his keys and unlocking his car. He opens the door, helping me in before going around to the drivers side. I stare out the window, silence taking over us as he drives us back to the hotel. Once we arrive, he helps me out. I stumble in my heels, the alcohol now fully setting in. Charles catches my waist, pulling me closer. I can feel his breath against my neck as he watches me
"I'm fine" I push him off, walking ahead of him into the hotel
.·:*¨☆◦✦◦☆¨*:·.
Alexa, play 'jealousy, jealousy' by olivia rodrigo...
charles needs to learn to keep his emotions under control...jk i literally live for things like this
anyway, hope you liked the chapter
- katherine <3