The Tribute | Max Verstappen

Chapter Seven

Cheers!

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There was a lump in her throat as she sat on the bed and waited Max to be done with his shower. Noah had gotten dressed in the meanwhile, she would have to be present in the official watching lounge when the games began with the other mentors, sponsors and the president. She would rather not, but she had promised Max to help him to survive this and she would.

"Is the boy done yet?" Helmut asked as he came into Noah's room without knocking, already knowing that he would find the boy there, but Noah couldn't care less if Helmut knew or judged her for it.

"Almost." Noah answered without looking up, actually she had no idea, but to her it felt so overly wrong that Helmut was here in her space when she had shared it with just Max moments ago. Made it different to all the other rooms for the rest of all times. As soon as Max comes back, it's going to be their room.

"Go with the boy to take off, I'm taking the girl." Helmut said with a huff causing Noah to nod, still not looking at him. She just wanted the old fuck to leave her room, but instead he walked over and rested his hand on Noah's shoulder.

"You can't go to the viewer lounge like this. Wolff will kill you for it." His words caused Noah to look up at Helmut. This must have been the very first time the old man acknowledged what the president was doing, not only to her but to all victors, but the look of companionship was gone soon after only for the man to leave instantly, as if burned, as if he had said something he should have never dared to.

The moment Max stepped out of the bathroom, dressed for the arena Noah got up and joined his side. "I will go with you as far as I can." She promised him which earned herself a small smile, before Max decided to lean down and kiss her softly, bringing the feeling to memory.

The walk was quiet and threatful. Noah tried her best to not show her emotions, to not scream and cry and demand that Max could go free, they both knew it would only cause her problems which could reach so far that the game makers try to kill Max off to.

Every step felt like torture, a step closer to the scaffold. Noah felt like throwing up and she couldn't imagine Max was feeling any better as they passed peacekeepers only to step into the elevator, where Max's mask of indifference broke and he pulled Noah into his arms, holding onto her tightly.

"Wait for me." The words came out chocked and pained. "I need you to wait for me."

"I will be right here when you come back." She swore not wasting a single moment. Time was running out, faster and faster with every moment that past.

As if to seal the promise, Noah pulled away, only far enough so their lips could meet in a romantic kiss, full of feelings and emotions Noah never dared to hope to feel, but also full of emotions which were by her side since they had thrown her into the arena back in her games.

"Here." She suddenly muttered, reaching around her neck to pull the necklace from her and laying it around Max's neck, who looked at her unsure.

"I can't. Not your necklace." He didn't want to take the comfort this necklace meant to Noah from her. She had been wearing it every single day since her games, maybe even before. It was the symbol she was associated with. The leave necklace around her neck, but now it was dangling from his neck.

"I want you to have it. It means the world to me. Watch it for me. Return it when we see each other again." She told Max who held the leave in his hand for a moment, before kissing Noah again and pulling her into his arms.

"I swear I will return it to you." He promised, holding her so unbelievably tight against his body, but with him Noah really didn't mind. No other person could touch her like that, not even her sister had really hugged her since her games, but Max, he was like a new beginning with a whole lot about first first-times again.