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nordschleifes · 6 months

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chapter fourteen — epilogo

➝ when the nature of their relationship is revealed to the world, fernando and charlie end up having a serious conversation about the direction they want to take.

➝ word count: 2,2k

➝ warnings: spanish media, insecurity

➝ author's note: tagging @christianpulisic10, @alonsogirlie, @he-is-the-destined, @sunnytkm23 and @enaticosencantados as requested.

Sitting on the couch with the remote in her hand, Charlie frantically scanned the channels on the television. Probably none of them would be broadcasting Brighton's game in Spain, after all, if the team wasn't facing one of the big clubs in England, nobody really cared. But, it wouldn't hurt to take a look to confirm.

However, she stopped on one of the channels when she saw a familiar image on the screen that made up the program's scenario.

— Las redes están alborotadas con esta imagen que finalmente lo confirma — the presenter announced in a happy voice — Fernando Alonso está de vuelta en las pistas y muy enamorado. El piloto asturiano, que sufrió una fractura de tobillo en el último Gran Premio de Las Vegas, fue visto en el circuito que lleva su nombre intercambiando abrazos y caricias con una mujer. Hablemos con Marina Rubel, que está en Oviedo, con más información. Marina?

The screen split to a live entry of a dark-haired woman who appeared to be in a park. Dropping the controller on the couch, Charlie couldn't stop watching, even though she didn't understand anything that was being said. But in a way, she didn't even need to.

— Hola Anne, buenas tardes. Esta es la confirmación de que el dos veces campeón de Fórmula 1 está, de hecho, en una nueva relación casi un año después de su ruptura con la periodista austriaca Andrea Schlager — the reporter said — Además del video que circula en las redes sociales, el propio Fernando publicó en su cuenta de Instagram una imagen de su nueva novia luciendo un mono y un casco de su escuela de karting, con el pie de foto "de vuelta a la pista".

— Hasta el momento, no se sabe quién sería esta misteriosa mujer, ¿verdad?

— Bueno, no se sabía. Sin embargo, nuestro equipo hizo un gran trabajo de investigación y tenemos, en exclusiva, el nombre de la nueva novia de Fernando Alonso. Descúbrelo en el informe.

A familiar photo appeared over the screen. Charlie's stomach twisted.

— La nueva novia de Fernando Alonso es un soplo de aire fresco en su lista de conquistas amorosas. Tras su matrimonio con la cantante Raquel del Rosario y largas relaciones con la presentadora Lara Álvarez y la modelo Linda Morselli, la nueva chica del "Nano" es su ingeniera de carrera, la inglesa Charlotte Whitlam — the reporter's voice said, as videos and photos of the podium in Suzuka were played — Puede que no la reconozcas por su imagen, pero Charlie, como la llaman, es la voz que escuchamos en las interacciones por radio entre Fernando y su equipo…

Suddenly, the television turned off.

Charlie let out a gasp of protest, before turning around to see Fernando's serious gaze. She felt like a naughty child who had just been caught doing something she shouldn't.

— Why were you watching this? — he asked.

— I wasn't — Charlie stammered, feeling his face heat up — I was looking for the Brighton match…

— That didn't look like the Brighton match, Charlie — Fernando said.

— I know…

He walked around the couch, crutches clicking on the floor as he stopped beside her and sat down. Looking down at her hands, Charlie couldn't shake the discomfort she'd been feeling, not just at being caught watching a news report about what had happened over the past 24 hours, but at being exposed like that.

The day before, after visiting the museum, Fernando took her to the circuit, where the go-kart shed used by students from the school he had set up there was located. After meeting the crew that maintained the equipment, showing her how he tightened the wheels as a teenager, and hearing more about how they took care of the engines, Fernando asked her if she wanted to go for a ride on the track.

— Can I? — Charlie asked, almost as if she were a child delighted by the possibility of playing with a new toy.

— Of course.

Changing into a set of the school's blue overalls and a helmet, Charlie could see through the opening in the visor the smile that Fernando had on his face. Asking her to wait a bit before sitting in the kart, he took his phone out of his pocket and took some pictures of her, telling her that she looked like a real Formula 1 driver.

After the last instructions, Charlie put her foot down on the accelerator, leaving the garage in the direction of the track. Allowing herself to experiment on the asphalt, she couldn't help but laugh when she caught too much of one of the kerbs in one of the corners or when she almost lost the rear at the last chicane. Driving the kart around made her feel strangely nostalgic, especially when she thought back to the times she and her grandfather had gone to a track in Northampton for a few laps.

When she pulled up in front of the garage, Charlie found Fernando with a wide smile on his face, leaning against the wall.

— So, what do you think? — he asked.

Charlie walked over to him as she took off her helmet and balaclava.

— It's amazing, the kart is very well adjusted and the track is excellent! — she exclaimed, smiling, while the driver took one of his hands to her forehead, fixing her disheveled bangs — And you, what did you think?

— You still need some lessons — Fernando replied, receiving a playful pat on the chest from Charlie — But you've got potential, nena, lots of potential.

After laughing, she gave him a soft kiss, one hand on his face, caressing the driver's cheek. A moment Charlie wanted to keep forever inside her heart and not have it recorded and posted to the entire world. The sensationalist headlines were already sketching in her mind, one worse than the other.

“Fernando Alonso takes his own engineer to bed”.

"Meet Charlie Whitlam, Alonso's newest girl".

"Charlie Whitlam: how an ordinary engineer got one of Formula 1's most eligible bachelors".

— Look, Charlie — Fernando said, breaking the silence in the living room — I already knew this was going to happen.

She glanced in the driver's direction with a raised eyebrow.

— Did you?

— Well, when you achieve a certain notoriety in Spain, let's say your life becomes the object of scrutiny by the press, such as…

— Tabloids? — Charlie asked. She was familiar with abuse in the British press, especially by the tabloids. It was not uncommon to see journalists crowding around the drivers in Silverstone, in search of an image or a bombastic statement to put on the covers of their newspapers.

— Yeah — Fernando replied — The point is that, in one way or another, they would connect the dots between us. And then they would come after us, wanting more and more, just…

— Like it was with all the other girlfriends you had — she completed.

— Yes. I never felt really bad for them because they were people who were used to it. They lived off their own image, so showing up with me wouldn't hurt them. In fact, they even took advantage of this to boost their own careers, which seemed stupid to me…

— You know you can't judge them, right?

— Why not?

— Because you also live off your image and appearing alongside them wouldn't hurt you either. By the way, didn't you pose for a magazine cover with one of them?

Fernando gave an embarrassed giggle.

— Yeah, I did. But… How do you know that?

— I watched your documentary — Charlie murmured.

— Did you? When?

— On the flight to Vegas. By the way, I thought that magazine cover was shit.

He looked shocked.

— But the cover…

— It has a clear power imbalance between you and her, with the clothes and all. I would even say that it was sexist.

— I was shirtless.

— Wearing a suit coat and with her body covering your chest. It was ridiculous, Fer.

The driver stared at her for a few seconds before smiling, squeezing Charlie's hand.

— Okay, I admit, the idea was ridiculous.

— Sexist — she corrected.

— Ridiculous, sexist, any other descriptions you'd like to add?

— Disgusting. Idiotic. An offense to good taste.

— Okay, Charlie, I get it — Fernando sighed— The point is, you're different from them. You're not exactly a known person...

— People know my voice, they've seen me on television with you...

— Charlie, it's not the same as being my girlfriend. For these guys, you stop being a mere engineer to be a source of income. You stop being a person to be a character in their stories. And — he stopped, looking frustrated — Fuck, I didn't want that for you.

— No?

— You don't deserve to live in this scrutiny, in this monitored life, without any privacy, just because I love you — Fernando continued — I want my love to be something safe for you, to be something good and not a source of stress and fear.

Charlie looked at his hand thoughtfully.

— Where are you going with this story? — she asked quietly.

— I want you to know that you don't have to live through this if you don't want to.

— Are you giving me carte blanche to break up with you?

The driver's eyes widened.

— No, no, I don't want you to break up with me, Charlie. In fact, I want you by my side forever. But I don't want my life and everything that comes with it to become a burden on you.

— You would never be a burden, Fer.

— Maybe I'm not, but the spotlight is. Maybe the attention, the comments on the internet, the things people will say in the paddock, all of that is a burden. And I couldn't bear to see you fade just because I love you — he murmured — I want you to keep shining, Charlie. And I want to wake up every day with your light illuminating and warming me.

Something in his words made Charlie feel her eyes fill with tears. She had avoided love at all costs over the years. It was something too difficult, too terrifying for her. It wasn't worth investing in something that would only make her suffer and cry, clutching a bottle of wine and watching some sappy romance movie.

Then Fernando appeared in her life again. It was as if fate wanted them to settle the disputes that one had with the other. And the moment Charlie gave the driver a second chance, she allowed herself to discover a fantastic man, dedicated and loving, who cared about her and would do anything to see her happy.

Love was still difficult and terrifying for Charlie.

But, loving Fernando was the best thing that had happened in her life.

— I'll never fade as long as you're by my side — she said, with a small smile — I love you. And it won't be one article talking about me that will make me give up on you.

— Not even two?

— Not even a million — Charlie said, before approaching his face, giving a peck on his lips — Nothing in this world will make me give up on you.

Staring at her for a few seconds, Fernando smiled.

— You mean I can tell the whole world how much I love you?

— Well, it's not like nobody knows.

— But it wasn't me who said it, it was a bunch of nosy journalists. But, I think it’s time for me to say something and break the news on my own terms — he replied, taking his cell phone out of his pocket. Charlie almost immediately concluded what his plan was.

— Are you going to post a picture of us?

— Two, actually — the driver said, as he selected the images — If they want to know, they'll know.

— But — Charlie hesitated, looking at one of the photos — Do you need to post this one?

Fernando looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

— Don't you like this picture?

— I look terrible in it, Fer — she replied — Look at my hair, it's all messed up, I'm not wearing any makeup, and…

He chuckled, placing a hand on her face, his thumb lightly brushing her skin.

— You can be either way, I'll always find you beautiful — Fernando murmured — The most beautiful woman I've ever seen.

After searching a little more in the phone's gallery and finding a photo that showed the moment they were introduced to each other for the first time — with a Ron Dennis watching the moment attentively — the driver thought for long minutes before typing something in the telephone.

— “Two people never meet by chance” — Fernando said, looking at Charlie — What do you think?

— Are you talking about fate?

— Well, let's just say you made me believe in it.

She laughed.

— So it's my fault?

— Well, not only yours, but — the driver hesitated for a few seconds — There are only two ways to explain why we're together right now. One is careful planning and a crystal ball, which I believe is not the case. And the other is fate.

— So it was fate?

— Always has been, nena. You have always been my fate — Fernando said, before clicking the 'post' button.

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