letters [max verstappen]

10

Spielberg, Austria

This was the last place I wanted to be. For the past 3 weeks, I had avoided anything at all related to motorsport, it made me too upset. Unfortunately, that included Max, who was rightfully annoyed after I had ignored his calls and texts for the first week. I had also ended up not going to Hungary for Eurocup after hearing that Mazepin was driving again. After rewatching the video it was clear that my crash was his fault, and I knew that if I even got the tiniest glimpse of him I would have punched him in the face.

To make it up to Max though, I had agreed to be in Austria to support him and Toro Rosso. At the time I had hoped that in 2 weeks I'd be feeling better, but those two weeks went by and it was safe to say I wasn't. Getting to finally experience the rush of real, competitive single-seater racing and then having it ripped from me just a few months later was the worst torture I could've imagined.

I was miserable the whole journey to Spielberg, but when I saw Max in the hotel lobby I felt a slight peace wash over me.

"Hey, schat." He pulled me into a hug and pressed a sneaky kiss on my forehead. We had agreed on as little PDA as possible, especially since we still weren't official, but we both always managed to sneak a little in.

"Hey." I said quietly, melting into his chest. My gaze moved up to his eyes, and in them, I could see how much he had missed me. "I'm sorry I haven't been the best friend- or whatever we are- these past few weeks."

"I get it." He said, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear. "You needed your space."

"Well, before it gets too lovey-dovey in here, let me say hi to the gal!" Daniel came up to us.

"Hi, Dan." I hugged him with a smile.

"It's good to see you, Becks. I heard you weren't doing too hot, are you feeling better?" He asked. "That wrist looks nasty." He gestured to the splint still on my wrist.

My gaze wandered back to Max, who was grinning back at me. "I'm getting better."

"So, I have to go to the paddock now. Do you want to come with me? Or you can go with Daniel later." Max explained.

"I told Franz I'd be there this afternoon, so I'll just come later with Dan?" I suggested. Max nodded and wrapped me in his arms again, Daniel shuffling to the side.

"It really means a lot that you're here, Becca." He mumbled in my ear.

"I know, that's why I'm here." I chuckled, a bit taken aback by his sincereness as I lightly brushed my thumb down his jaw. "Now go to work."

Max nodded and left with his trainer, who I hadn't noticed was standing a few feet away. Daniel draped his arm over my shoulders as we watched them leave.

"You know, I've never seen him look at or talk to or about a girl the way he does with you." He admitted.

"You've known him for 6 months." I said, and Daniel looked at me, shocked.

"I'll have you know that I've known him for a year and six months." He clarified.

"But you've been friends for only six." I shot back.

"Ok, just take the cute little anecdote and move on." He shoved me playfully. "'Cause, it's true."

——

Later that afternoon, Daniel drove us to the track. We were walking down the paddock towards Toro Rosso since he insisted on dropping me off.

"You know you look like shit." Daniel remarked as he sipped on his water bottle.