legends || formula one

nerves.

JOSIE LEANED HER NECK LEFT AND RIGHT, the sound of a satisfying crack echoing through the silence. now, it would be a little wrong of her to complain about neck pain given that she worked in formula one, but who wouldn't after being hunched over for hours on end?

what was supposed to be a quiet day for her turned out otherwise, bouncing between both sides of the garage as everyone tried to understand the woes of valtteri's car. the day was over now, however, and while there was still work that needed to be done, josie would have many more hours to herself now that testing was over.

elena and jonathan were waiting for her in the carpark, so she quickly gathered her things and left out the back door. much to her surprise, max verstappen too was leaving the red bull garage despite not driving today. "is that you, josie?" he waved in the distance.

she waved back. "hi max!"

max jogged in her direction after confirming that it was her. "more late hours, i see?"

"unfortunately," she frowned. "i was going to spend my day taking naps but then the car started acting up."

"i hope you are getting paid enough to be here past dark," max chuckled.

"and i am sure you are getting paid more than enough to still be here past dark," josie joked.

max gave an embarrassed smile. "actually, i forgot something here yesterday and didn't realize i was missing it until i left to go out."

"early victory celebrations for red bull, it seems," josie laughed.

"i wouldn't go that far!" max humbly responded. "but, if you are free tonight, you are welcome to join."

"sounds like the perfect opportunity for me to learn all of the secrets of the rb19... who knows what a room of drunk red bull engineers will reveal" josie mused.

max's eyes playfully widened. "maybe it is too late to take back the invitation?"

josie laughed, max's eyes catching the way her nose scrunched up. "i would love to come, but i already have a night in planned with some friends from the team. maybe another time?"

"of course, though maybe i should get you to sign an nda..." max said, giving her a side eye before a small laugh. "i feel like i'm holding you up, though. are you headed to the carpark as well?"

josie was a little taken aback- normally, she would be the one to say that. first and foremost, josie was polite, so her instinct was to profusely deny if someone felt like they were inconveniencing her. "no, no, you're not! we're heading to the same place anyways."

"i've just barely met you, yet i feel like you are the most polite person i have ever met!" max noted. "after you, josie."

they walked in an oddly comfortable silence until exiting the paddock. just as they were about to split, max took a leap of faith by calling out to her. "josie, wait!"

she turned around as he walked to her. "could i ask for your phone, please?" max asked hesitantly.

josie slowly reached into her back pocket and handed it to him. he typed something before handing it back to her. looking down at the screen, she saw that max had sent a text to a number. his number...

"i meant it when i said you were welcome to join. i'll keep you posted about a night out in the future, yeah?"

it took a few seconds to register that she had max verstappen's number saved. in her phone. "yes, yes!" she quickly answered, realizing that she had kept quiet for a bit too long. "i'm keeping some high expectations for this night out, though." she said.