RACE 2 - Max Verstappen

18

"Feeling better now?" Max asked as Daniella finished her second cup of coffee with her breakfast.

"No," Daniella groaned as she adjusted her sunglasses.

Max let out a laugh.

"You should have invited me last night," He chuckled. "I wouldn't have let you drink so much."

"That's the reason why I didn't invite you," Daniella pointed an accusing finger at him.

Max rolled his eyes, knowing full well how badly Daniella is regretting the hangover. He saw the waiter and ordered another cup of coffee for her.

"This is your last cup today, okay?" Max pushed the cup towards her.

"You really don't know me or my hangover at all," Daniella complained before taking a sip of the hot beverage.

"I know you and your hangover very well," Max argued. "Remember last year when you won your first race? Or when you won the championship?"

Daniella didn't reply as she was too busy with her coffee.

"Who took care of you then?"

"Myra..." Daniella sheepishly said.

Max raised his eyebrows and glared at her, demanding the correct answer.

"You..."

"Don't drink again till your next win," Max suggested.

"That will be next weekend," Daniella smirked.

"Only if I let you win," Max smirked back.

Daniella gave him a challenging look as she finished her coffee, and was starting to feel a little better.

"So what's your plan for today?" Max asked as he pulled out his wallet to pay the bill.

"Well, no plans for the morning or the afternoon," Daniella replied as she snatched Max's credit card off his hand quickly and placed hers instead to pay for the breakfast. "I will probably just go back to sleep, but Lando invited me to play tennis with him and Carlos later this evening. I think they also invited Fernando. You want to come?" Daniella asked, hoping Max would say yes and enjoy the evening.

"No," Max bluntly replied. "I am going to have to spend the entire year with the drivers every week and deal with you too, I just want a couple of days of peace before..."

"Before the chaos starts?" Daniella chuckled.

Max nodded.

"Alright," Daniella didn't insight further. "But you could have a good time if you join us."

"Nope," Max replied again as both of them stood up, ready to leave. "I have already had enough of you for today."

***

Daniella laughed as the tennis ball hit Lando again. Team up with Lando against Carlos and Fernando was maybe not the best idea and she should have taken Carlos' offer and teamed up with him but she was really enjoying Lando's lack of experience in tennis and his complaints.

"Let's take a break," Lando huffed.

The other three drivers agreed.

"You were supposed to hit the paddle, not me," Lando complained to Carlos.

"You just suck at playing tennis," Daniella laughed as she patted Lando's back.

"She is right," Carlos added, and Lando pouted as he felt everyone was ganging up on him.

"So I received a call from you last night..." Fernando handed Daniella a water bottle.

"Oh god!" Daniella's face turned red. "I was hoping you won't bring that up."

Fernando laughed at the young driver.

"Did I say anything embarrassing?" She nervously asked the Alpine driver.

"Just how thankful you are for the tequila," Fernando replied. "Then Esteban took away the phone before you could say anything else."

"I even called Seb and asked him to take care of his bees just like he takes care of me and Mick," Daniella mumbled, making Fernando laugh.

"Once in a while we all need to get drunk and let loose...and do something stupid," Fernando advised.

"Would be nice if I can do all that without embarrassing myself," Daniella shyly said.

"Haha that's not possible," Fernando patted her shoulder.

Daniella's face turned red in embarrassment.

"Hey, ready for the next round?" Carlos joined and soon did Lando.

"Yeah," Daniella nodded.

"And maybe after that, we can go for dinner?" Lando suggested. "Luisa would love to join us."

"What a great idea Lando," Carlos smiled.

"And I came up with it all by myself," Lando lied.

Fernando suspiciously looked at the two.

"Why are you two acting so weird?" Daniella asked.

"We are not," Lando argued.

"Yeah you two are," Fernando replied. "But I won't be able to join you guys, I have other plans."

Carlos was relieved to hear that.

"Come on, let's start the next round," Daniella said as she pulled Lando to their side of the court.

The McLaren driver gave Carlos a thumbs up, excited that Daniella agreed to go to dinner with them.

"You have to try harder than that," Fernando said to Carlos.

"What?" Carlos tore his eyes away from Daniella who was teaching Lando how to properly hit the ball.

"She is not someone who can be easily impressed or won over."

**********

A/N: At this point I am just writing gibberish. 

Thoughts on Max and Dani? Do you think they are better off as friends? 

Who do you think  will win the first race of the season?