#Bonjour Fleur

[seulementpourv]

Esiste una parola in lingua tedesca che è semanticamente intraducibile in italiano:

Zweisamkeit.

È quello stato paradisiaco in cui due anime si trovano, formando un alone di solitudine fra loro, isolandosi dal mondo e bastando a se stesse...,

bastando a se stesse!!! Ti basto?...Mi basti!!!

[praline1968]

Bonne semaine 🤍

Good week 🪻

Gute woche 🌹

Buena semana 🍀

Buona settimana 💕

Source : Pinterest

[fidjiefidjie]

Bonjour, bonne journée ☕️ 💐

Marchande de fleurs devant le Jardin du Luxembourg🗼Paris

Photo de Édouard Boubat 1950s

[soni062]

[spottys-rathole]

Compilation de mes pfp Discord depuis Septembre dernier parce que c'est très fun comme jeu J'ai commencé à prendre des suggestions des gens vers Janvier et derrière j'ai fait des efforts pour mieux les customiser A l'heure où j'écris ça j'en n'ai plus en réserve et je me suis toujours pas décidé si j'allais continuer ou pas :') Respectivement : Septembre-Novembre -> Décembre -> Janvier -> Février -> Mars -> Avril Dessin de base tiré de ceci

[annaberunoyume]

MY BELTANE ALTAR ^^

WITH A PEACE SIGN. ;-)

[creazingara-1852]

[chrisevansonly]

The Media’s Favourite

charles leclerc x female reader

summary: amelia is the light of charles’s life, and she adores him just as much, it’s a good think the media loves her too…

warnings: very fluffy dad charles, like tooth rotting

a/n: i really needed this after the past few days i’ve been having, so this is self indulgent for sure

Amelia had her head on your shoulder as you weaved your way through the crowds to reach Charles before he was whisked off for media duties. He’d come in second at the grand prix today, and the two of you couldn’t have been any prouder especially after how the season started for him.

“Papa?”

You smiled softly kissing the 4 year olds cheek gently, her eyes looking around for her favourite person

“Almost there petit fleur, we’re almost there..”

The two of you walked down towards the motorhomes and over to ferrari’s hospitality, once the two of you had made it safely, Charles was waiting where he usually was, towards the back offices.

“Bonjour mes bébés!”

At the sound of Charles’s voice Amelia picked her head up and smiled happily

“Papa!!”

“Mon ange!!”

He responded with an enthusiasm to match his little girls, and man did the two of them ever look like twins. Charles took her from you gently and you smiled as she clung to him tightly, the Monégasque kissing her cheek a few times before sending you a smile, a pressing a kiss to your lips.

“You did so well baby, congratulations”

“Thank you amour, I think it was because my girls were here”

He kissed your forehead, wrapping his arm around your waist before walking with the two of you down towards the media pen. It was almost tradition to go anywhere together as a family, especially in the paddock on race weekends.

As the three of you arrived, Charles took you and Amelia behind where you’d be away from the journalists but could still see him, only when he went to pass Amelia back to you, she whined

“No papa, stay with you!”

You frowned knowing how hard it was for her to see him and then need to let him go again

“Bébé, papa will only be a little while”

Amelia shook her head, her bottom lip pouting as she tucked her head into Charles’s neck, soft little whimpers escaping her

“Want to stay, papa want to stay!”

Charles thought about it before nodding

“You want to come with papa and talk about the race?”

Moving her head to look at him Charles could have swore his heart burst at the anxious look in his daughters eyes, not because of the camera, but because she didn’t want to be anywhere but his arms.

“Yes please!”

Looking at you to check if it was okay you nodded and watched them walk out into the media pen, all eyes on the father-daughter duo. Thankfully today, Charles had Lissie interviewing him.

“Well this is a surprise, hello Charles and hello Amelia!”

Amelia waved shyly and Charles laughed, adjusting her on his hip so she could see better.

“I have a buddy for media today it seems”

“You do, quite a cute one too!”

Charles smiled before nudging Amelia

“What do you say bébé?”

The toddler smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder

“Thank you”

Lissie smiled just as brightly, the content too cute to handle as she dove into questions about the race, Amelia listening intently, just happy to be in her father’s arms and close to him.

As the interview began to close Lissie asked Charles if Amelia could answer a question, to which he nodded, the four year old now watching her with interest.

“So Amelia, I was wondering who is the best race car driver?”

Amelia was quiet before gently patting Charles’s chest

“Papa! He is the best! He can go ‘weally fast! He’s my ‘favowite”

For being four years old she’d always been so great with words, even if some were still hard to pronounce she gave it her all.

“You heard it here everyone, Amelia Leclerc’s favourite driver is her dad! Safe to say I think many would agree, Thank you Charles and thank you Amelia!”

Charles thanked Lissie before the pair weaved their way back towards you, your arms open and ready to pull then in for a tight hug.

“I’m so proud of you my superstars!”

Kissing both of them gently you all made your way back to get your things and get ready to leave the track. When the day started you definitely didn’t know it would end this way, seeing your baby girl so animated and happy in front of the cameras for the world to see.

You just knew it wouldn’t be the first or last time Amelia took the Formula One media pen by storm…turns out she was a fan favourite. But even then, she’d always be yours and Charles’s favourite too.

[gloriousfartcupcake]

Bonjour et bon dimanche matin avec mon papillon et ordinateur, fleur

[petite-madame]

Hey ! I have a little question : how do you start to draw ? I want to start but idk how-

And, for the digital art, what app to used for it ?

(I'm sorry for my bad english, it's not my first language, in fr :

Hey ! J'ai une petite question : comment on commence a dessiner ? J'aimerai commencer mais jsp comment-

Et, pour l'art digital/digital art, quel application utiliser ?)

Bonjour Anon ^^

Bonnes questions! 💗

On va y aller en français parce que, comme disait le Roi de France, "Car tel est notre plaisir" et puis parce que je l’ai déjà expliqué en anglais quelque part dans mon tag #arttechnique donc, pour une fois, la communication se fera en Langage de Grenouille. 🇫🇷

Pour commencer sache que tu as ouvert la boite de Pandore, la réponse va donc être longue. Alors, « comment on commence à dessiner ? ».

1 - Papier/Crayon. C’est loin d’être une plaisanterie, on commence avec un papier et un crayon. Pas besoin d'avoir du matériel sophistiqué et onéreux, j'ai commencé avec le crayon et le carnet à la con de chez Carrefour. De plus, quand tu vois ce que fait Alan Lee avec juste le dit crayon, tu n'as pas besoin de plus. C'est vraiment très bien pour s'exercer/démarrer. Après, si tu veux commencer directement en digital, tu peux le faire bien évidemment soit avec un iPad soit avec un ordinateur et une palette graphique mais très honnêtement, le papier/crayon offre une bonne base

2 - S'y mettre. Ça peut paraitre con comme conseil mais c'est comme à la piscine il va bien falloir rentrer dans l'eau, ne serait-ce que dans le petit bain. C'est bien beau d'avoir du matériel et de se répéter qu'on "va s'y mettre un jour" mais si on repousse l'échéance, ça ne va pas marcher. Il faut se convaincre que Rome ne s'est pas fait en un jour et qu'au début, ça va être tordu et que tu vas dessiner n’importe quoi. La procrastination au nom du perfectionnisme est un mal réel mais arriver à l'occulter est un belle victoire.

Pour ce faire, on commence doucement par gribouiller des choses qu'on aime. Conseil qui sonne sans doute comme une lapalissade absolue mais au début, je dis bien au début, on peut rester dans sa petite zone de confort pour booster la motivation. Tu aimes les chats ? Dessine un chat. Tu aimes les fleurs ? Dessine une pivoine. Tu aimes le ballet ET Emmanuel Macron ? Bref, tu sais ce qu'il te reste à faire (on ne kink shame pas, je suis sure qu’il y a des amateurs quelques part). Cependant, petit à petit, il va falloir prendre plus de risques et se forcer un peu à dessiner des choses qu'on n'aime moins pour progresser mais au commencement, il n'y a pas de mal à gribouiller Les Chevaliers du Zodiac, n'importe comment.

Le Chevalier du Poisson après s’être pris un mur. J'avais 8 ans ok ?

Bon, je mets un « cut » parce que ça ne va pas être gérable.

3 - Suivre des tutos et ne pas avoir peur de l'aspect technique surtout quand on commence à aborder l'anatomie et la perspective. Et c'est là, qu'il va falloir sortir un peu de sa zone de confort pour faire des exercices pour pratiquer les ombres et lumières, la perspective, comprendre les points de fuites, les poses dynamiques. Il y a plein de tutoriels sur YouTube, tu as aussi des bouquins mais je pense qu'une vidéo est plus parlante. C'est vraiment TRÈS utile. Tu as des vidéos comme "apprendre à dessiner" ou "perspective pour débutant", "la théorie des couleurs pour les nuls", etc...C'est là que tu vas voir que pour dessiner un chat, un visage, un bateau il y a des règles pour simplifier une forme, un visage, un corps. Alors oui, c'est chiant de dessiner 12 fois la même main ou la même sphère éclairée différemment mais ça sert. Bref, commencer à dessiner, ça va être commencer à comprendre comment transposer la réalité en « 3D » vers un support « 2D », la feuille ou le canevas Photoshop, peindre ce que l’on voit et non pas ce que l’on croit voir, décomposer les formes, comprendre les couleurs. Une fois encore, ça va prendre du temps, mais ça viendra.

Pareil pour les applis de dessin que tu vas utiliser si tu commences en digital. Si tu ne sais pas faire quelque chose, va suivre des tutos sur Youtube. Il y a aussi des reels sur Instagram qui ne sont pas mal du tout car ils montrent des "trucs" comme des raccourcis clavier ou des façons de modifier les pinceaux (brushes) de Photoshop ou Clip Studio Paint.

4 - S'exercer par gribouiller tout et n'importe quoi, faire des croquis de...cafetière, bouquin, chaussures, prise électrique, la petite cousine, le gros voisin, la dame du pressing. 1) c'est marrant et 2) les défis techniques ne sont pas toujours là où on le croit 3) ces exercices permettent de comprendre ce dont je te parlais plus haut s’agissant de la décomposition des formes ainsi que de la façon dont la lumière frappe les objets.

5 - Utiliser des références. Je ne le dirais jamais assez, utiliser des références n’est pas tricher ! Des illustrateurs confirmés comme Alex Ross ont un studio où ils prennent des photos de leurs assistants, leurs amis, eux-mêmes, pour avoir une base de travail. Si tu veux dessiner un bateaux pirate, va chercher une photo de bateau pirate sur Internet. On n’est pas « un vrai artiste » parce qu’on dessine de tête ou sans gommer. 🙃

6 - Travailler régulièrement pour progresser. Je sais c'est dur de trouver du temps avec le lycée, la fac, le boulot, les transports, la vie de famille, etc...mais le mieux est d'arriver à dessiner un peu régulièrement, ça sera plus efficace que deux heures toutes les deux semaines. Les cours de géo sur les bassins sédimentaires sont faits pour ça. J'AI RIEN DIT.

7 - Ne pas se décourager. Je me répète mais les artistes étant leurs pires critiques, le chemin vers la satisfaction va être long. Tu vas commencer par copier tes artistes préférés et ta tête va exploser car un jour tes dessins vont ressembler à Mucha et le lendemain ça sera à One Piece et le jour suivant Moebius ou un web-comic coréen. C'est encore plus dur pour les artistes débutants aujourd'hui car ils sont confrontés, Tiktok après Tiktok, tableau Pinterest après tableau Pinterest, à un déluge constant d'influences, à une stimulation artistique telle qu'elle en devient inaudible pour un cerveau toujours plus sollicité. Savoir ce qu'on veut, se concentrer, construire son style sans se perdre est, je pense, un des grands défis des artistes débutants en 2024.

C'était joliment dit. Merci d'avoir suivi Ce soir ou jamais, on se retrouve demain soir.

Il va surtout falloir que tu prennes en compte en tant que débutant que quand tu vas commencer, tes progrès vont être proche de ça :

Ils ne seront pas linéaires mais, tu progresseras. Un petit "art block" de temps en temps, du découragement, mais surtout beaucoup de joie et de satisfaction quand tu auras dessiné quelque chose qui te tiens à cœur pour la première fois, même si tu détesteras ce même dessin deux mois plus tard, c'est ça être un artiste, félicitations!

8 - Ne pas se comparer à des illustrateurs de folie. Paix à son âme mais si tu vois une vidéo du regretté Kim Jung Gi qui dessinait des fresques entières sans traits de construction, à main levée, tu vas te dire "Mais punaise, pourquoi j'essaie ?". N'y penses pas, fais ta vie, à ton rythme. Pareil avec les gens de ton âge. Ne te compare pas à un mec de 13 ans à Singapour qui dessine déjà comme un artiste confirmé. On s'en fout. C'est une exception, grand bien lui fasse, on l'embrasse, cœur sur lui, mais ce n’est pas toi. Bref, l'inspiration OUI, la comparaison NON.

9 - Prendre des cours de dessins. Être autodidacte et s’entrainer tout seul, c’est bien, mais prendre des cours si on est perdu n’est absolument pas honteux. Il y a des cours municipaux, des ateliers parfois à la mairie, à la médiathèque de ta ville, etc...Alors oui, tu vas dessiner un pot de fleurs et une pomme avec Mamie Geneviève, retraité de la Mairie de Brie-Comte-Robert mais tu vas avoir un prof qui va t'expliquer les bases si tu sens que tu ne vas pas y arriver seul.

Et, pour l'art digital/digital art, quel application utiliser ?

Moi, j'utilise Photoshop mais c'est payant (et assez cher)

Pour commencer, je te recommande d'autres applications bien moins chères comme Krita (gratuite) ou, si tu as un iPad, Procreate. C'est environ 8€ (ça a peut-être augmenté depuis le temps où je l'ai acheté) mais pour tout ce que cette appli peut faire, c'est donné. Moins connue mais également gratuite, Fire Alpaca, très honorable aussi!

Clip Studio Paint est également très bien. Tu peux l'avoir soit avec un système d'achat unique, soit un system de souscription comme tu peux le voir ici.

Voilà ! Bref, il faut s’y mettre, se lancer, dessiner n’importe quoi pour se faire la main, suivre des tutos, parce que la technique c’est important, utiliser des références et ne pas se décourager.

J’espère avoir répondu à ta question et comme disait Marie-Pierre Casey :

"Je ne ferai pas ça tous les jours!" (même si personne ne m’a demandé de faire aussi long).

Si vous n’avez pas la réf, demandez à vos parents.

Passe un bon dimanche et courage ! On reste motivé !! 💗

[coolvieilledentelle]

Bonjour!🌤 mercredi Je vais essayer de faire attention au printemps. Je vais regarder toutes les fleurs autour de moi, les arbres .... Je vais fermer les yeux et écouter la nature… Belle première journée

[seulementpourv]

“E’ un amore impossibile” – mi dici. “E’ un amore impossibile” – ti dico. Ma scopri che sorridi se mi guardi, e scopro che sorrido se ti vedo.

S.A.P.

[praline1968]

Bonjour ☀️

Coffee Time ☕️ 🫖 🥐

Source : Pinterest

[hoshi-neko-hikari]

*I’ve been asked to babysit Fleur for the day. I know she’s one of Haru’s friends but I haven’t ever actually met her. I knock on the door to her house and her mom answers.* “Hey, my name is Cali. I’m here to look after Fleur for the day.”

“Oh, bonjour! Im Fleur’s mother, Denise. My little girl will be very happy to meet you. I have to take her brother to the dentist.”

[nordschleifes]

chapter ten — dile a él

➝ when charlie knocked on the door of her grandparents' house, she expected a welcome (and a plate of roast), especially after what happened with fernando. however, she is faced with the reality of facing her own feelings about him and about herself.

➝ word count: 4,2k

➝ warnings: childhood traumas

➝ author's note: sorry for being late, my life is driving me insane nowadays. tagging @christianpulisic10, @alonsogirlie and @enaticosencantados as requested.

Charlie drove her car through the familiar streets of Far Cotton, the red brick houses blurring past the window. She regularly came this way on weekends when she wasn’t working at circuits and race tracks around the world. After almost a month away on the flyaway rounds, she had been looking forward to seeing her grandparents again.

The flyaway tripleheaders were the worst for Charlie. Coming back from the circuits every day to sleep in an unfamiliar bed was extremely exhausting and melancholy. She had found something that made those faraway hotel rooms feel more comfortable, though. She never felt better than when she chose to sleep in Fernando’s arms after they watched a movie together, or when they analyzed onboard videos together, or made each other come.

However, that had ended weeks ago.

Since the night she'd run away from Fernando’s hotel room in Suzuka, their relationship had entered uncharted territory. Fernando even tried to talk to her after the incident, sending numerous messages and calling her several times. He even left a note on her desk at the factory, asking her to call him, signed with a simple 'Fer'.

With the little piece of paper in her hand, she wondered if it was the best thing for her to do — to give in to her heart and have a discussion with Fernando. But when she looked up to the doorway of the engineering office and saw him, staring down at her anxiously, helmet and balaclava in hand and hair tousled after another simulator session, Charlie was sure.

They needed to be professional.

As she left the motorway, Charlie drove down the narrow street at a slower speed, her eyes searching for the vine-covered facade that climbed the red bricks and made her grandparents’ house stand out amongst the others. Usually, she could find the place by looking for the hydrangeas that bloomed every spring thanks to her grandmother's zeal.

Thinking about the flowers made something ache inside her chest, her mind transporting her to a sunny morning in Switzerland. Wearing one of Fernando's sweatshirts, the two were walking arm in arm near Lake Lugano when he stopped and went to a flower bed, picking a purple pansy that was planted there.

— Fer — she said, trying to understand what he wanted to do. After shortening the stem a bit, the driver adjusted her hair before tucking the flower behind her ear with a smirk.

— A flower for a flower.

Charlie rolled her eyes.

— I am not a flower.

— Yes, you are. An English rose.

— I thought that story about you liking plants was silly.

— I like plants. So much so that I'm sure you're an English rose.

— Why?

— Because you're beautiful — he said, running a hand around her waist — And full of thorns.

She patted his chest, before letting out a giggle.

— You're an idiot.

— Look, you just showed your thorns — Fernando said, making her laugh even more, as he hugged her, placing a tender kiss on her cheek.

Charlie couldn't shake the feeling that she'd shown Fernando her own thorns that night in Suzuka. Worse, she had ripped his heart open with them.

 “I'm a disgrace”, she thought to herself, as she parked in front of her grandparents' house.

When she rang the bell, Charlie heard her grandfather's voice echoing through the small hall, saying something about learning French. He sounded excited about it. When he opened the door, she couldn’t hold back her smile.

— Bonjour, ma fleur — Jamie said in greeting.

— Hi, grandpa — Charlie answered — Was that supposed to be French?

— Yes. What did you think?

— Awful — she said, laughing, before stepping into the hall and removing her shoes.

— That's what I told him — Amanda yelled from the kitchen.

— Oh, come on, it wasn't so bad — her grandfather said as Charlie took off her coat.

— It was.

— It's not like yours is any better, huh? — he teased, running a hand through her hair the same way he did when she was little.

It made Charlie sad. She didn't know any French, but because of living with Fernando, she had started to learn a few loose words and short phrases, usually things completely inappropriate or exclusively to be said in the bedroom. However, of all of them, the favorite was still “tu es à moi”.

You are mine.

“Well, not anymore”, she thought, as she walked into the kitchen and found her grandmother in front of the oven, checking the roast she was preparing for that Sunday's lunch.

— Good morning, my dear, how are you? — Amanda asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

— I'm fine, grandma — Charlie replied, giving her a kiss on the cheek before settling into one of the chairs at the kitchen table — And what's this about speaking French?

— Your grandfather and I want to go to France next year. We want to celebrate our wedding anniversary in style — she said, heading over to the sink, where she was preparing the horseradish sauce.

— They say Nice is beautiful in May — Jamie spoke, one hand resting on the back of her chair. But the smile on his face didn't fool Charlie.

— Funny, I'll be there in May — she said, a little disinterested.

— You will? — Amanda turned to her, drying her hands on the cloth over her shoulder.

— Nice is close to Monaco — Charlie said, looking up at her grandmother, who quickly connected the dots.

— James Lionel Whitlam, do you want to go to France three months before our wedding anniversary just to see a race? — she asked, in an outraged tone.

— It's not just any race, my dear, it's the Monaco Grand Prix! It is simply one of the most important in the world. Besides, we could visit all those beautiful beaches I showed you…

— But you want to have a weekend to see the race, don't you?

— Yeah, but Charlie could arrange excellent accommodations for us to see her in action — he said, smiling at his granddaughter.

— You’re talking like I’m one of the drivers.

— Well…

— Our grandson-in-law will be there, no? — Amanda asked, a mischievous little smile on her face, making Charlie's hands go cold.

— Huh — Jamie said, his interest piqued — You mean I have a grandson-in-law now?

— No, that's not…

— Yes, he is a very handsome man — her grandmother continued.

— Grandma! — Charlie exclaimed.

— Do I know this man, by any chance? —- her grandfather asked.

— I think so, he works with Charlie, doesn't he, my dear?

— I'm not going to talk about it — she said, her voice resolute. She had gone to Far Cotton to talk about other matters and spend time with her grandparents, not to talk about Fernando, especially after what had happened in Suzuka.

— Well, I guess you should, it's been a long time since you've brought someone here — Jamie said — When was the last one, in 2010?

— No, there was that boy, Robert — Amanda recalled, before going back to the oven — She brought him here on a Saturday, you spent dinner asking him about engines.

Her grandmother wasn't wrong. The last person she had introduced to her grandparents had been one of the McLaren’s mechanics named Robert, in 2018. He had always been very nice to her and, on one occasion, after a bad race, the two ended up getting closer and engaged in a relationship.

However, their relationship only lasted a few months. Shortly after the end of the season, he told her about a job offer he had received to migrate to the world of endurance racing, which would force him to move to Germany. At the time, Charlie didn't mind too much. After all, they weren’t that serious yet, and she didn't want to be an obstacle for him.

However, seeing the photo of him celebrating a victory at the Six Hours of Fuji together with Fernando the following year, along with a caption in which he thanked the driver for bringing him to the team, made her feel angry. At the time, Charlie raged to anyone who would listen that that man had destroyed one more thing in her life, as if all the damage he had done over the years wasn't enough.

“He just can’t stop”, she thought to herself, pressing her lips together.

— So, when are we going to meet this man? — Jamie asked, pulling Charlie out of her thoughts.

— There's no one, grandpa — she replied, not looking at him.

— No one? Funny, someone told me otherwise — he said.

— That someone is wrong — Charlie said, vehemently. She didn't want to talk about her and Fernando anymore because of how painful it was — Now can we talk about something else?

— Well, we can — Amanda replied — But I will need your help with the roast in the oven.

With the subject returning to their trip to Nice, Charlie helped her grandmother finish their lunch while Jamie set the table. The three of them ate between jokes and laughter, which made her anguish, which had only been growing in recent weeks, lessen a little, but not completely. After lunch, Jamie went out to the back of the house while Charlie helped her grandmother wash and put away the day's dishes. The two talked about flights, Nice and beaches, until the subject came back to the same point as before, much to her frustration.

— Before lunch, you said you didn't have anyone — Amanda said — You mean that thing with…

— I don't want to talk about it — Charlie answered, dryly.

— You seemed so happy...

— Grandma, it was nothing.

— Nothing?

She huffed, turning off the faucet.

— What happened between me and Fernando was just a brief thing. 

— You said you liked him...

— Does it matter?

— Well, it matters because I'm pretty sure it wasn’t just a brief thing.

She stared at Amanda in silence for a few seconds, feeling her heart pound in her chest.

— Grandma…

— My dear, you need not be afraid to share things with me.

— But I — she began, only to be interrupted.

— I've always done everything to make you trust me...

— And I do. I trust you.

— So tell me what happened to Fernando…

— I don’t want to talk about it! — she exclaimed, slamming her hands on the kitchen counter. Amanda looked at her in silence, seeming shocked by her granddaughter's reaction.

— You really are Deborah's daughter — she murmured, dropping the dish towel onto the counter and leaving the kitchen.

The way she said it made Charlie hudder. Many people aspired to be like their parents in adult life, but she definitely never wanted to be like her mother, and that's since she was a little girl.

Deborah never wanted to be a mother, and she never hid that from anyone, least of all from Charlie. She had gotten pregnant at 17, during what she called “a complex phase of her life” after she’d fallen in with the wrong company, getting into petty crime, and even started using drugs. However, getting pregnant had been the catalyst for her to seek a new life, far from that past that had only brought her sadness and pain.

However, in trying to escape her own past, Deborah left Charlie behind.

Her mother was completely aloof from the beginning. Of course, she had never mistreated Charlie, but it was clear that Deborah was somewhat indifferent. She wasn't excited about Charlie’s developmental advances or her achievements as normal mothers would be. In the end, that little girl with the big blue eyes and light hair was just a stain from her past, the only one she could ever erase.

Moving in with grandparents was an easy decision for Charlie. So easy, in fact, that she made it almost unconsciously when she was four. One night, her mother came to pick her up from her grandparents’ house after work, to take her back home to the tiny flat where they lived, in Semilong, a rough neighborhood with cheap rent. As Charlie heard the doorbell, she started to cry, asking to stay. However, it was of no use, as Jamie took her to the entrance while Amanda got her little backpack.

— I don't want to go, I don't want to! —  she whimpered, while clinging to Jamie's leg, thick tears running down her cheeks.

— But, my dear, you're coming back tomorrow morning — Amanda said, crouching down to her level as her grandfather stroked her head.

— But I want to stay here with you — Charlie whimpered, his hands gripping the fabric of Jamie's pants — Please, let me stay here.

— My love, your mummy will be sad...

— No she won’t, I know that — she sobbed, hiding her face from Deborah's serious gaze. Charlie knew that her mother dreamed of getting rid of that burden that the past had imposed on her. There had been countless times that she had heard her argue with her grandparents, saying that she never wanted to have a daughter — She doesn't like me.

— It's not like that, Charlotte — Amanda said, trying to get her to let go of Jamie's leg — Your mummy loves you very much, just like grandpa and I love you. Isn't that right, Deborah?

As she looked up at her mother, Charlie received the response she'd been waiting for, but it didn't make her heart ache any less. She was staring at her without any apparent emotion, her lips set in a thin line. Deborah did not contradict her daughter, simply because it was true.

— Deborah — Jamie said softly, almost begging her to react, to say something.

— If she wants to stay, she can stay — Deborah finally said, her face frozen in a mask of indifference — I really don't care.

— Deborah! — her grandmother screamed, outraged.

— It’s the truth! If she wants to stay, she can. It’s probably easier that way.

— But this is your daughter!

— Yeah, well… I wish she wasn't — Deborah spat, before slinging her bag over her shoulder and walking out the front door, leaving her parents shocked behind.

It was the first time Charlie had her heart broken.

Drying her hands, Charlie left the kitchen and headed for the door that led to the back of the house. Crossing the small garden, she wanted to push away the unbearable loneliness she felt inside. She knew the only person who could help her was in the small, gray-painted garage.

She walked in silently, surveying the space filled with the things her grandfather had accumulated over the years of fixing engines there. Amidst shelves crammed with parts, tools strewn about, oil-stained cardboard boxes filled with various parts, Jamie was standing, looking at an engine that lay disassembled on the workbench.

— A V8? — she asked, with a small smile.

— Yes — her grandfather replied, as he arranged the pistons and connecting rods according to their original position in the block — It's from a 1997 Jaguar XJ 3.2. A friend of mine found it in Bolton.

Charlie raised an eyebrow.

— Did he drive it all the way here from Bolton?

— Yes — he said, as he picked up a connecting rod and looked at it closely, seeming to have noticed some possible damage to it.

— Must have been a hell of a deal for him to get this all the way here from Bolton.

— Yes, that was a pretty good deal — Jamie said, turning away to retrieve something from one of the shelves — Less than a thousand pounds, would you believe? And with this engine...

She braced one hand on the workbench, watching her grandfather compare a connecting rod he had in storage with the one he had removed from the Jaguar's engine. After a few seconds of silence, he looked up at his granddaughter.

— How is Fernando? You haven't mentioned him yet...

Charlie pressed her lips together, her shoulders suddenly tense. “When they will stop this torture?”, she asked herself.

— I don't know.

Jamie raised an eyebrow.

— I thought you knew, you guys are always… Together.

— We are co-workers, grandpa...

— Just co-workers? — he muttered, before turning back to the box to retrieve another part — It's not what it looks like, Charlie.

She felt her heart pounding heavily inside her chest.

— No?

Her grandfather turned around again, bracing his hands on the table.

— Charlie, please…

— Grandpa, I really don't understand what you want me to say.

— I want you to say what's going on between you and Fernando, because it's clearly not just a professional relationship and it's bothering you.

— How do you know that?

— I see it in your eyes, Charlie. You are not happy, quite the contrary.

— I'm talking about my relationship with Fernando — Charlie said quietly.

The man in front of her smiled.

— He told me.

It was as if the ground had disappeared from under her feet. Charlie had done his best to keep it hidden, especially from his grandfather, who had already expressed his feelings towards Fernando more than once and in an impolite way. However, apparently, all the ridiculous excuses to justify the extra days they had to spend with Ron had been useless.

Jamie knew everything.

— When? — she asked in a thin voice.

— At Silverstone — her grandfather said with a little smile — I was having tea in the private area when he came over to say hello. He said he recognized me from the picture you have on your desk at the factory and he was glad I came.

— You two talked once and you knew there was something between us?

— No — Jamie replied — I knew because he sat down with me and spent five minutes babbling about how incredibly smart and observant you were, how you understood him and how you translated that to the team during the race.

— It doesn't mean anything.

— It does when you say it the way he said it, with the look on his face that you only have when you’re in love. And he's in love with you, Charlie. This is clear to anyone who has spent five minutes with both of you.

— Wait, both of you? — she said, a little shocked.

— Yeah. He's in love with you and you're in love with him.

— Grandpa, for God's sake, don't...

— Charlie, I've seen you in love before. I've seen how you act around people you like. Remember that time when you introduced us to that girl, what was her name?

— Alyson — Charlie muttered, crossing her arms.

— I knew right away that you two were in love with each other, even though you said she was just your flatmate. By the way, what happened to her?

— She moved to the States to work for Ford, in Detroit. That's why we broke up. It didn't make sense to try and maintain a relationship over such a long distance...

— I remember how upset you were about that — Jamie said, picking up the crankshaft from the table and examining the part for wear and tear. Then, after a few seconds of silence, he looked back at Charlie — It was the same sadness I see now.

— Grandpa…

— You ended things with Fernando, is that it?

Charlie sighed.

— You can't end what you haven't even started.

— And at what point would things have started, for you?

— Well, I think — she hesitated for a few seconds — It's you having a… Talk about it, no?

— And you didn't talk about it?

— About what?

Jamie smirked.

— You know what I'm talking about, my love.

Charlie pursed her lips.

— Well, he's my friend.

— A friend that you make out with, right?

— Grandpa! — she exclaimed, outraged.

— What, am I wrong? — Jamie laughed — Just because I’ve seen three British monarchs doesn’t mean that I’m old-fashioned. I know how things are these days.

— But it's not like that with us...

— So how is your relationship with Fernando? — he asked emphatically — And be honest with me, Charlie.

She sighed, defeated.

— We were… Physical…

— So, you were having sex?

— Grandpa — Charlie said through clenched teeth.

— I asked for you to be honest, my dear.

— Okay — she relented — Having sex, fucking, shagging, whatever you prefer. The thing is, after that, back in Japan, he said he loved me.

Jamie smiled.

— And? What did you say?

— I panicked and ran out of his room — Charlie muttered.

Her grandfather looked a little surprised by that answer.

— But, you didn't say anything to him? You just left?

— What was I going to say?

— You should have told him how you felt. That’s usually what you say in those situations.

She ran her hand over her face.

— The point is, that I convinced myself that what we had was just us having a bit of fun. No strings, no commitments, just a physical relationship and nothing more.

— And you didn't think he'd fall in love with you? — her grandfather asked — Honestly, Charlie, have you ever looked in the mirror?

— It's not that, grandpa...

— So what is it?

— It's just — she hesitated for a few seconds, before continuing in a low voice — I'm afraid.

— Afraid?

— Afraid to give myself over to another person like that. Afraid of being fragile, of being in his hands. Afraid of letting myself down again — Charlie said, her eyes filling with tears — Afraid of being alone in the end, like I always have been.

Jamie came around the table, stopping in front of her. Then, placing his hands on his granddaughter's face, he stared at her for long seconds in silence, while the tears silently ran down her face.

— First of all, my love, you’ve never been alone.

— But…

— I'm speaking — he interrupted her — Your grandma and I were always with you, supporting you in everything you’ve done. And we would never leave you alone.

Charlie's bottom lip trembled as she sniffled.

— Secondly, you're being a little selfish. He gave himself to you and, even though you felt the same as him, you refused to do the same, for fear of getting hurt.

— Is it wrong to be afraid of getting hurt?

— It's wrong to be afraid of getting hurt when you know you're not going to get rejected. He loves you, my dear, and if you love him you should tell him so and give him a chance for you two to be happy together.

— Do you think it could work?

— Charlotte, he’s very fond of you. He likes you so much that he told me he knew I didn't like him as a driver, that he respected my opinion, but that he hoped I'd give him a chance as someone who wanted to make you happy. And I was sure he was capable of it that weekend, while seeing the two of you hugging after the podium.

The memory of when she found Fernando caused heat to fill Charlie's chest. The pit lane encounter at Silverstone had been just as exciting as it had been in Montreal. However, the fact that it was her home race made the moment he placed the golden trophy handed over by the circuit into her hands even more special.

That afternoon's achievement had taken a backseat to the way he smiled at her, as if her joy was his greatest prize. The pictures Jimmy had taken of them were proof of that, their looks saying far more than any words they'd exchanged so far.

Love. It had always been love.

She loved Fernando. She had always loved him.

— I don't think he wants anything to do with me anymore, grandpa — Charlie muttered.

— I highly doubt that.

— Why?

— Because love, when it's sincere, doesn't end overnight. It resists, my dear. It grows in the face of difficulties, obstacles. And I know that his love for you is sincere.

More tears trickled down Charlie's face. She felt like a complete idiot for running like a scared animal from that room in Japan. She felt awful for having ignored Fernando's messages and calls, as well as his requests for them to talk about this matter.

— I'm a monster — Charlie said quietly.

Jamie pulled her into a tight hug as she continued to sob.

— You are not a monster. You are wonderful, my dear. You are very special and I've always known that since the day I held you in my arms and looked into your eyes for the first time.

Charlie stayed a few minutes with his head nestled on his grandfather's chest, his hands gripping the fabric of the shirt he was wearing. Then, she felt Jamie pull back slightly to look at her.

— You love him?

— Yes.

— Then it's time to tell him.

— What if he doesn't want to hear me?

Jamie smiled kindly, her eyes filled with the same warmth as the night she'd officially been welcomed into that house.

— I'm going to have a word with him — her grandfather muttered, causing Charlie to giggle.

— Are you going to beat him up?

— I made it very clear to him that if you got your heart broken, we'd have a long talk.

— A conversation involving broken bones?

— I’m never in favor of violence and you know it.

— Yeah, grandma told me — Charlie replied, as he ran his hand through her hair again, laughing.

— But seriously, talk to him. Tell him how you feel. Tell him that you were scared, that you are scared, open up to him. I'm sure he'll listen to you, my dear.

Charlie sniffled, running a hand over her face.

— I hope, grandpa. I really hope so.

[la-isla-blanca]

bonjour à tous ♥

toute la team, @erinye-stuff, nox et @romystigri est ravie de vous présenter la dixième version de la isla blanca aux couleurs printanières.

l'intrigue du mois; peu à peu, le printemps semble montrer tout son potentiel et le soleil se lève sur les ombres d'ibiza. pour palier à ces dernières semaines amplis d'angoisse et de craintes, la maire a donc décidé d'organiser un mois de mai très spécial pour rallier les foules et remettre quelques sourires sur les visages des habitants. la peur est désormais derrière les eivissiens qui se hâtent de découvrir les prochains événements. un grand pique-nique sera organisé très prochainement à figueretes et la fête foraine fait son retour à la marina pour le plus grand bonheur des petits et des grands tout au long du mois. pour ce mois si spécial, toutes les rues de l'île sont décorées aux couleurs du printemps, les fleurs ornent les places et la bonne humeur envahie ibiza toute entière.

– sur lib, nous cherchons à intégrer toutes sortes de personnages, toujours avec bienveillance. entre ombre et lumière, vous avez possibilité d'incarner une large palette de personnages, du plus sombre au plus doux. ✨

aucun minimum de ligne exigé sur le forum – un rp par mois. n’hésitez pas à nous rejoindre. 🌸🐚

lien du forum : https://laislablanca.forumactif.com/ discord du forum : https://discord.gg/TWnNCehXJG