Anti-hero ~ Max Verstappen

15

It's 7 in the morning but here is the chapter, if you comment on something you will entertain me in class 😂 Thank you all for the support in this story!

Max's POV

2014

In the first minutes of the morning she seems like another person, calmer, happier, freer. I love the thought that I'm the only one who really sees her like this. That's why I always hate to wake her up.

I wait a few more seconds, taking in every detail. I lift my hand to her face and brush her hair away, gently caressing her cheek.

-Ave, it's already eight come on.- I say leaving a couple of kisses on her face and I see how she wrinkles her nose and hides her head in my neck.

-Five more minutes.- she says. For a moment I thought about giving them to her, but then I remembered that my father has a habit of coming too early on race days.

-You know that if it were up to me I would give them to you but my father must be about to arrive.- That wakes her up, causing her to sit up and rub her eyes with the back of her hand.

-I hate your father.- she mumbles.

-I know, come on, wake up, we've got a race to win.

I took her hand to get her out of bed and gave her one of my sweatshirts to put on over her pajamas. I loved how my clothes looked on her.

-I will see you on the track.- She said goodbye, reaching for the handle of the door.

-Hey, wait- I grabbed her hand and pulled her back to me before she could open the door.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and left a kiss on her forehead.

-Ik ben verliefd op je.

I'm in love with you.

I know she doesn't know what it means, she can't know, I haven't taught it to her yet. But still my heart races uncontrollably as I say it, as if the way the words come out of my mouth would let her know what they mean.

-What does that mean?

I'm not a brave person, never have been.

-I'll tell you after the race.- I say with a half smile.

Maybe I will tell her once the race is over, maybe once I gets out of the car I'll get enough courage. I've been trying for months to get up the guts to tell her and this is the closest I've ever come.

-I don't like it when you do that.- she said scrunching her nose.

-But you love when I speak Dutch to you!

-But I hate when you hide behind it to tell me something. I prefer when you teach me what it means.

-I'll teach you at the end of the race then.

-Okay then, I'll see you on the podium!

My father arrived shortly after, thank goodness Avery wasn't here anymore or it would have been a conversation I wouldn't have wanted to have before a race. Well, more like a conversation I wouldn't want to have, period.

The whole garage was nervous, you could tell. The championship was already in our pocket, it was going to go to Avery or me, in any of the results the team ends up winning.

I was nervous, not because of the result itself, I wanted to win but I didn't mind losing if it was for Avery to win. But the pressure was noticeable. From my father, my part of the garage, the fans.

We were about to leave, I was with my helmet in my hand looking towards the garage door. Normally Ave would have stopped by to wish me luck by now. Maybe she's nervous.

-You're going to win son.- my father said approaching behind me and putting a hand on my shoulder.

-Maybe.- I focus on putting on the gloves and zipping the suit. I didn't want to get more nervous, he's not going to get into my head right before the race.

-You are not understanding me.- He stood in front of me and grabbed me by the shoulders.-You are going to win.

-What have you done?-I ask worried, his fingers dig into my shoulders and I make a move to get out of his grip.

-I've taken care of a couple of things in the garage.- he said with a grin, giving me a couple of pats on the cheek.

-Wait wait? What have you done?

-I found out something, very curious, really. Apparently someone had been trying to sabotage you.- I laughed, what else could I do but laugh? He has gone crazy.

-What are you saying? Are you listening to what you're saying? Why would anyone want to sabotage me?- This is GP3, Nobody would want to sabotage me for a seat in GP3.

-There is a seat, son, in F1.- I nod, okay, and?

-I'm not following you.- I say, he pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration and he raises his hand in a quick movement that makes me flinch. When he realizes that and that we're in the middle of the garage, he grabs my arm and leads me to a corner.

-There's a seat in F1 and they didn't know whether to give it to you or to Stroll, but she's already been making sure it's going to be hers.- I frown. That's impossible.

-Avery? No she...she wouldn't do something like that.- I shake my head. I know he hates her but it's impossible, Avery would never do that.

-Your DNF the last race? How convenient that you were in front of her until then. Engine failure in qualifying three races ago? Do you remember who made the pole?- Avery.

-Father, it has to be a coincidence, she's not like that.

-Apparently she has been seen quite together, I don't know if you are following me, with people with great influences in F1.- This is the straw that broke the camel's back, he's delirious.

-She's sixteen! Dad, you've lost your mind.- I tell him trying to keep my voice down, but he doesn't flinch, he continues with his story.

-I had thought about taking larger measures, you know, a loose nut, a wheel coming off at high speed. It would be a shame to lose so much talent at such young age. Don't you think?

I can't believe he's saying this, I have to get out of here, I have to make sure Avery is going to be okay.

-I can't believe you're...-But just before I could leave there he grabbed my arm, leaning close to my ear to whisper something.

-But then I saw something really interesting this morning when I went to your room.

My blood froze in my veins, suddenly straightening up with a neutral expression.

-I do not know what you are talking about.- I slip out of his grasp and take a few steps away from him.

-Don't worry son, it's natural, she has blinded you with her charms. But all is not yet lost.- he's fucking mental.

-Whatever you've seen, you must have imagined it.- He won't believe me, if he has really seen us he won't believe me but I have to try.

-Maybe, your father is getting old after all. Maybe I'm senile. But if you want to make sure that there's nothing wrong with that car, you know, hypothetically. You better not cross a word with that girl, understood?- I nod and look away, trying to blink rapidly so that no tears fall. It would be the last thing he need to explode.

-Why are you doing this to me?- My voice came out weaker than I intended, I didn't want to see myself weak in front of him.

-Max, son. I only look for the best for you. In the future you will thank me. Now go and earn what is ours- he says pushing me towards the track, I look towards the side of Ave's garage but I don't see her, in moments I already have my father next to me again, making sure I didn't see her for what's left before the race.