The Fight • Max Verstappen•

•onehundred-ninetyfour•

MAX

It took less than five minutes to realise the mistake I had just made. As I chased after the petite raven-haired girl, my mind flashed back to the first time I watched her walk away from me. It was the end of camp, and her father, dressed in a three-piece suit, ushered her and her brother into a black town car. I always knew our paths would intercross again, but I never thought we would end up here.

"Scarlet, stop," I called out as the rain poured down and seeped through the navy jumper I had thrown on. "Please, I'm begging you."

She continued to walk another few paces before stopping. Scarlet spun on the spot and turned to face me, but she didn't walk toward me. Her hand rested on her hip, and her lips were glued together.

Her eyes were puffy, and I could see that the mascara had already started to run, although knowing Scarlet, she would point out that it was pouring if I were to comment. I could almost hear the gentle sarcasm laced tone in my head. It was a tone I had always loved—nearly as much as I loved the woman in front of me.

"Why are you leaving?" I asked as I reached out my hand to rest on hers, but she quickly pulled it away. "I thought Mercedes was your dream?"

Confusing glazed over her face and the corners of our mouths turned into a perplexing sneer. Scarlet's eyes looked to the side and then directly at me.

"Why would I leave Mercedes?" She scoffed as if I had insulted her, "I earned that seat, and despite you ending my season, you didn't end my career." Scarlet sneered.

I brought my hand over my mouth to hide my puzzled reaction. There had been so many rumours floating around the paddock. When Carlos announced he was replacing Pierre at Mclaren, who would be driving from the new Andretti team, it only confirmed that Scarlet would be racing from Ferrari.

"Well, then why has Milo been closing a deal at Ferrari?" I pointed out. The words escaped my lips slightly sarcastically, which I quickly covered up with a smile.

Scarlet shook her head in disbelief, and her pupils dilated. A scoff came out of her mouth, and her eyes narrowed as she realised that I did not understand her reaction.

She cocked her head, "For you, Max?" Scarlet screamed, "The Ferrari seat is for you."

I tugged at the neck of my jumper as all of a sudden heaviness overcame my chest. I couldn't keep my hands. Still, I pushed my rain-soaked hair back and placed them into my pockets.

Rocking slightly on the spot, "I don't understand?" I gasped.

Scarlet took a step toward me, and I felt my heart racing. I could smell the familiar rosy perfume on the black jacket as the wind gently swept across the River Thames.

"Because you deserve to win championships with a team that isn't going to try to corrupt you. Your contract with Red Bull meant that your manager couldn't approach other teams, but it didn't state that an interested party on behalf of you couldn't." Scarlet informed me as her hot breath hit the cold London air.

Oh wow. I grabbed at her waist and pulled her towards me. "You did that for me?" Scarlet slowly nodded. "And Daniel? He knew about this too?" I gasped.

Suddenly all of the pieces started to come together. How could I have been so stupid not to see the connections? I forgot how incredibly thoughtful Scarlet was, and I had gotten so wrapped up in my drama that I didn't take a moment to stop to think about how it was affecting everyone else. I felt that pushing her away would protect her, but she was guarding me all along. So was Daniel.

"He might have his head in the clouds, but there isn't much that gets past him. Why do you think he leaked the messages? So Red Bull couldn't turn it around on you; the messages, whilst damning, gave context." Scarlet chuckled. "I told you that I would always have your best interests at heart,"

The rain continued to pour, and as I leant down to her and pressed my lips against hers, there was a saltiness to our lips that came as a surprise. As I rested my hand on her head, I felt her pull away.

Her green eyes were shining with tears, and she bit down on her lip. She gulped and looked up at me. "Max." Scarlet sobbed.

I shook my head in disbelief, and I didn't want to hear the words coming as I knew from the look on her face that it was hard for her to say, which meant it would be even tougher to hear.

"No, no, Scarlet, don't. I'm sorry, everything that has happened this year has been my fault." I wept as I gripped her hands tightly. "I just don't want to lose you," I muttered as she dropped my hands and turned her back to walk away.

The words that had been burning finally came to the surface. "I love you, Scarlet. You're so easy to fall in love with, and I should know; I've been in love with you since I met you." I balled and stopped walking, but her back remained to me. "You have such an amazing soul and a heart of gold. You're my favourite person in the goddamn world, and I'm so crazy in love with you. I know these seem like empty words, but please give me another chance; I'm begging you."

She didn't move. There was silence between us: nothing but the rain against the pavement and the river's rippling.

"Do you think that changes anything? Max?" She finally said. "I told you once that when you're born into a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire, but it's not." Scarlet bit and turned around to look at me again.

Slowly Scarlet paced towards me. "It's not you against the world anymore, but you acted like it was." As the words left her mouth in the scolding tone, I could only look to the ground.

"So I accept your apology, but-" I paused, and Scarlet stopped; she twisted on the spot. I wasn't sure if it were tears running down her rosy cheeks or raindrops, but she drew her sleeve to her face and wiped them away. Her peach-toned lips pursed, almost about to speak before thinking against it. "You keep pushing me away; I'm not a porcelain doll; I won't smash if you drop me." She cried.

"Just please don't go," I begged. The crack in my voice as tears dropped from my eyes. "I'm sorry for everything, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you, but please don't leave."

"I put my neck on the line for you, and you couldn't even trust me to not cheat on you." Scarlet bawled, "You're sorry, and I get that, but everyone has their limits, and this is starting to get messy."

The words I wanted to say couldn't come out, they were stuck in my throat, so I had to watch her contemplate her life without me in it.

She drew her gaze back to me. My eyes now definitely filled with tears. My heart thumped in my chest. Despite the cold rain lashing down, I felt my face burning.

Her lips pursed again, "I know that things are tough for you, but I can't do this hot and cold; either we are in it together, or we aren't." She stood still on the pavement, the rain infusing with the tears falling. "I don't need another temporary person. Even when I am a chaotic mess, I want someone who will stay."

I nodded profusely and took hold of her once again, she melted into my body, and I felt her weight drop against me. My arms wrapped around her frame. "You don't get to choose the storm that comes, but you decide who you will be at its departure." Scarlet stammered as her head rested against my shoulder.

She took a breath and looked up at me. "I don't know how I would survive without you," I muttered against her hair, "You are my whole world, Scarlet Crusoe." I pressed my lips against her forehead. "You are my forever, Scar."

No one is easy to love, date or be with. We all have our vices, and we all have baggage that makes us unique. However, there will be a few moments in your life when every instinct in your body tells you to go for it. For something so crazy that defies everything you have ever been taught and all the logic you believe in, go for it because it may just be the best decision you have ever made.

And for me, that was loving Scarlet Crusoe.

••••

AHHHHH when will I get a cute guy chase me into the rain?

I hope you liked this chapter and that it began to wrap up a few ends to the story!

Max to Ferrari?