"Caleigh m'a réservé un billet en première classe pour jeudi.." (Caleigh booked me a first-class ticket for Thursday.)
I was lying on Charles' bed as he packed for the next GP. He was bustling around his room, making sure to collect everything he needed, tucking it into the suitcase lying at the foot of the bed.
"Que veux-tu dire?" (What do you mean?) I sat up to see Charles standing still at the end of the bed, a tshirt limply hanging in his hand.
I furrowed my eyebrows, "Je ne comprends pas pourquoi vous êtes confus." (I don't understand why you're confused.)
"Je pensais que tu volais avec nous." (I thought you were flying with us.)
He looked... upset?
I shrugged, "Puisque tu pars tôt, je ne savais pas que tu voulais ça. C'est pourquoi j'ai demandé à Caleigh de réserver le billet." (Since you're leaving early, I didn't know you wanted that. That's why I asked Caleigh to book the ticket.)
Charles shook his head, dropping the shirt in the suitcase before crawling onto the bed, "Vous venez avec nous et vous continuerez à le faire lors de chaque prochaine course. J'ai compris?" (You come with us and you will continue to do so in every next race. Got it?) He stopped next to me, lying down so his gaze was level with mine.
That was forward. But knowing the Leclercs, I'm not sure why I hadn't thought about him wanting me to tag along with him. Thinking harder about it, I forgot that Charles always got iffy whenever I travelled alone.
"Donc tu dis que je dois faire mes valises maintenant et pas demain?" (So, you're saying I have to pack now and not tomorrow?) I raised my eyebrows in question.
Charles chuckled, rolling his eyes before lurching forward to press a chaste kiss to my forehead. "Oui chérie." (Yes, darling.)
He finished packing rather quickly and then followed me down to my apartment, keeping me company as I gathered everything I needed for the long weekend. Charles laid on my bed like I had his, judging both my packing style and how much I was packing. A pillow or two might've been thrown during the duration of my packing.
Our flight was early tomorrow morning, I think 8 o'clock or so, yet Charles and I still decided to have a movie night in my living room. Charles' alarm went off sooner than I had hoped. We both sat up lazily on the couch, realizing that we'd fallen asleep during our last movie.
"Je suis surpris que mon téléphone ait encore de la batterie." (I'm surprised my phone still has battery.) Charles laughed, almost rolling off of the couch and onto his feet. He'd forgotten to go home last night, meaning he'd forgotten to plug his phone in.
I grunted in return, not ready to be awake. He laughed, leaning over to ruffle my hair. Another grunt.
He walked to the door of the apartment, stopping and turning to face me before leaving. "Sois prête dans trente minutes, Della. Il nous reste encore à aller à Nice." (Be ready in thirty minutes, Della. We still have to go to Nice.)
I waved him off as I attempted to stand up. Sleeping on the couch never helps my back.
Why is the nearest airport 45+ minutes away? I guess this is what we get for living in a place this size.
It didn't take me long to get ready. Or it did, I'm not sure. But as I pulled my suitcase to the door of the apartment, Charles was already knocking on it. I pulled it open to reveal the smiling face of my best friend. He was too much of a morning person.
"Ready to go?" he mused, taking in my still half-asleep state.
I nodded, gesturing for him to move away so I could join him in the hallway. He did, letting me even lead the way down to the elevator.
"Belle tenue." (Beautiful outfit.) Charles commented, switching back to our native language.
I spun around to face him, waiting for the elevator. Looking him up and down, I realized we were wearing nearly identical outfits. I wore a pair of off-white sweatpants and a black hoodie, Charles a pair of black sweatpants and an off-white hoodie.
"What is it the Americans say? Great minds think alike?" The elevator opened and Charles chuckled, shaking his head as we entered.
Halfway to the airport in the Black SUV Charles had hired for us, he turned to face me. "Lorenzo et Arthur nous y retrouveront." (Lorenzo and Arthur will meet us there.)
I had forgotten they were tagging along for this GP. Whenever they were free, his family tended to travel to watch Charles, it was nice.
Sure enough, when we pulled onto the tarmac to meet our private plane, Lorenzo and Arthur were waiting at the steps, both waving to our vehicle. I was quick to jump out, running over to greet the two brothers I hadn't seen in a while. They both exchanged greetings with me, all of us laughing when we saw Charles attempting to handle both of our luggage.
I apparently forgot that I had belongings in my haste to greet the other two Leclercs boys. "Della!" Charles whined.
Laughter poured out of my mouth as I ran over to him, "Pauvre garçon." (Poor boy.) He flipped me off after I took my suitcase from him which only made me laugh even harder.
A couple hours later, we were in the air and I was already bored. This was about an 8-hour flight and I'm not sure how much longer I can go without losing it. Thankfully, Charles and I were seated together, a blanket laid over us as we watched a movie. I jokingly put on Cars when Charlie asked to watch a movie, but when I went to switch it off, he stopped me.
Lorenzo and Arthur had fallen asleep toward the front of the plane a while ago, I can't blame them, sleep seems rather tempting right now. But for some reason, Cars was more interesting than I remember it being as a kid.
I reached my hand into the bowl of candy between Charlie and I only to find it empty. He must've eaten the rest of it when I wasn't looking.
"Bastard." I mumbled the curse in English, jabbing a finger into his side.
Charles jerked away from me and my jaw immediately dropped. "J'avais oublié que tu étais chatouilleux." (I forgot you were ticklish.) His eyes went wide and I'm sure I had a mischievous glint in my eyes.
"N'ose pas." (Don't you dare.)
Oh, but I couldn't help it.
I scrambled up onto my knees, reaching over the armrest to tickle my best friend. The air was filled with laughter as I moved my fingers across his hoodie-clad skin, to all the places I remembered he was ticklish, mainly his sides and neck. Charles was trying to catch his breath, trying to move away and push me off at the same time.
The fight went on for a couple of minutes before Charles managed to catch my hands, stopping my progression. "Trêve?" (Truce?)
My eyes focused and then my positioning became clear. I had somehow managed to hoist myself over the armrest and into Charles' lap, my legs on either side of his. I tried to fight the heat that warmed my cheeks.
I nodded in agreement as we both breathed heavily. Charles suddenly moved his hands, only stopping when our fingers were interlocked. My gaze flickered to our joined hands before connecting with Charles' eyes again.
We just sat there for a moment, slowing our breathing and looking at each other. I don't remember the last time we were this close.
"Notre film!" (Our film!) I gasped suddenly, remembering that there had been a laptop on my lap.
Charles and I both leaned over to see the laptop discarded on the floor, his grip on my hands subconsciously tightening as we moved.
"C'est de ta faute." (It is your fault.)
I chuckled at his blame, "Je le reprendrais bien, mais je suis fatigué, Charlie." (I'd pick it up, but I'm tired, Charlie.)
Charles glanced at his watch, "Il nous reste encore plus de cinq heures." (We still have over five hours left.)
Perfect. "Sieste?" (Nap?) I raised my eyebrows at my suggestion.
He just nodded, and without thinking much, I let go of his hands and laid down on his chest, stretching out my legs so they joined his on his leg rest.
"Je ne bouge pas." (I'm not moving.) I mumble into his chest.
Charles managed to fix the blanket so it laid on top of us now, "Tant mieux pour moi, tu as chaud." (Good for me, you're warm.)
Charles' POV
My eyes fluttered open to see my brothers hovering, whispering to each other.
"Puis-je vous aider?" (Can I help you?) I mumbled my question, sleep still having its grasp on me.
Lorenzo gestured to me, "Est-ce normal?" (Is this normal?)
That's when I realized why my blanket felt heavier than normal. I hadn't just dreamt that Della had fallen asleep on me, she actually had.
"C'est juste arrivé, d'accord?" (It just happened, okay?) I looked down, trying to hide how my cheeks had reddened because of my situation.
Arthur laughed, pulling Lorenzo backwards and back to their seats "Fais attention, ton béguin se voit, Charlie." (Be careful, your crush shows, Charlie.)
My cheeks heated up again as I watched my brothers run off to their seats giggling like little boys. I hate them.
Movement on my chest brought my attention back. Della sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and giving me a confused look. "C'était une sacrément bonne sieste." (That was a damn good nap.)
Without thinking, I reached up, tucking her hair behind her ears so it wasn't in her face. "Heureux d'avoir rendu service." (Glad to have been of service.) I chuckled.
She sends me a look I can't decipher before mumbling something to herself and climbing off my lap. I had to fight myself from frowning at the loss of contact.
I forgot how much I missed our physical touch.
Whenever either of us was single, we were almost always touching each other. Della would always snuggle up next to me, hold onto me whenever we were out, or cuddling with me. We even used to take naps together all the time. That's what was normal for us.
I guess I didn't think about it all returning now that we're both single, but I'm sure as hell glad it's back.
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i think this is my fav
chapter so far