Story of another us

Max Verstappen

I was thinking 'bout you when I was fallin' asleep

I was thinking how you always were there, there for me

Nobody's perfect, there's no excuse

I've been such a fucking nightmare to you

(Sleeping with Sirens - Another Nightmare)

If you want to hate a song, put it as your alarm clock signal. This phrase has never been so perfectly aligned with my thoughts when I heard my phone ring with an alarm that I don't even remember setting.

I groped for my phone somewhere in the depths of the bed, somehow turned off the annoying song and looked at the screen: some blog with pictures of me and Charles was open on the screen. I didn't get the point at first, but then I remembered last night. Not even the whole evening, but rather the end of it.

I immediately sat up in bed and flipped through a couple of posts with photos and captions attached by fans to them. And all the captions were of a romantic nature. The funny thing is, I wasn't bothered or outraged by this at all. I think it's even kind of ... cute? It turns out that you can see a lot more from the outside than I always thought.

But I was distracted from reading the blog by my own sudden thoughts...or memories, I wasn't really sure what exactly it was, but...Charles and I kissed. Me and Charles. We kissed. But was it true, or am I still half awake and this is just my imagination?

If this was a dream, it was too damn real. I can remember Charles way too clearly, and how he was standing in front of me in that bathroom. I remember the blush on his cheeks and the fright in his mesmerizing green eyes when someone slammed the door. So it wasn't a dream, was it?

I could ask him about what happened last night and was it true that we were kissing at his friends'house, but how can I do it? Just call and ask directly? Write a message? And if nothing happened, what if he thinks I'm a complete jerk after asking such questions? I'll look pathetic in his eyes then, but I don't really want it.

While my mind was busy thinking about yesterday, I had already taken a shower and was in the middle of preparing a light breakfast when a call came to my phone. I wonder who needs me now?

I picked up the phone: Honey Badger. Well, who else could it be? I answered the phone immediately.

"Ki ki ki rrra! How are you, loverboy?"

"A loverboy? What are you talking about?"

"Max, have you forgotten everything?"

My friend's question caught me off guard. What could I have forgotten that now is making him call me loverboy? Did something happen between us?

"Daniel, you have to tell me what happened last night."

There was a heavy sigh on the phone.

"Max, you made out with Leclerc last night, and I saw you both, but you didn't know it was me, so you both pissed off and decided to get out of Gasly's party. And yeah, that was hell suspish. I also gave you a ride home. Do you remember now?"

So we really did kiss. And Daniel was the one who saw us. But I'm kinda glad that it was Daniel who caught us, and not someone else. I don't have any enemies as such, but I'll definitely find some detractors, so it's a good thing it wasn't one of them.

"To be honest, my memory isn't ok now. Did...well...only you saw us?"

"Yeah, just me, so you can relax."

His words really made me feel better. Still, Daniel may seem like a clown, but as a friend he is pure perfection - he's always near when I need him, and he always got my back.

"By the way, did you tell Leclerc that I saw you? He already looks like his life is totally fucked, and honestly I don't wanna be his extra reason for stress".

"No, we haven't talked yet".

"Well, then go ahead and call him, what are you waiting for?"

I didn't think about it at all, and I'm frankly afraid to seem like a real idiot in front of someone I've known for almost half my life.

"I just don't know how to start a conversation with him about what happened yesterday."

There was laughter on the other side of the phone. And the laughter wasn't quiet, because Ricciardo does not know how to laugh quietly.

"You pick up the phone, dial your crush's number, and say, 'My love, don't stress, that was Danny Ricciardo who was as last night, and he's a reliable guy, and he didn't tell anyone what he saw."

We were both laughing now. Daniel knows how to cheer me up in any situation, and this one is clearly no exception.

"I'll do it tonight. I still have things to do for the day - Christian won't be thrilled if I start skipping training sessions and meetings."

Even if I don't sedan now, and I know for a fact that he shook his head. He often does this when he is dissatisfied with something.

"Okay, but promise me you'll do it. In the end, you both have something to talk about."

"Yes, Dan, you're right. But I have to go now."

"Then you can tell me how it went. Bye, loverboy."

"Bye."

I hung up and went about my business, which is the only way I can get my mind off last night.

After spending the entire day training and meeting with potential sponsors, I didn't even notice that it was already late in the evening. When I got home, I was suddenly more tired than I'd felt in a long time.

Without even eating dinner, I went straight to the bathroom, where I took a hasty hot shower, then got dressed and went to bed. I'll finish the rest tomorrow. I'll leave everything for tomorrow.