Raging Bulls || Max Verstappen MV

09. Play With Fire

"I love the smell of gasoline, 

I light the match to taste the heat."

⁂

Fuck. This. Fuck. Her. Fuck. Christian. Fuck. Hotels. Fuck. Christian. Fuck. Her.

These thoughts slammed in my skull with each stride. The sun was beginning to warm in the early afternoon hours. I'd made it to the circuit earlier than usual. Silence around the track never felt natural, especially when you were alone. As I rounded a corner, the Drivers' Lot was clearly visible.

Another benefit to being early, no pictures for once.

What had Christian been thinking, putting me and her in rooms right next to each other? That we would bond? Become best friends? Drive to and from the circuit together? Yeah, good try.

A car pulled into the empty lot and it was like sharks with chum in the water. Cameras ran to the car and the flashed were audible even from where I stood.

Who had just pulled in?

A curly head that I would recognize anywhere stepped out wearing his trademark grin. Daniel waved to the reporters and laughed, clearly happy to be back at the track. When Christian had told me that he was coming home this year, my first thought was that he would be my teammate. I thought I'd got my friend back, the one guy that had tried to really get me; but that dream was quickly crushed by–

Her.

What the fuck.

Daniel had walked around the car and dramatically pulled open the passenger's side door. He extended a hand and helped her out of the seat. My teammate said something to Daniel then they both walked towards the paddock entrance. He was stopping to talk with different reporters but she just kept moving forward. I hadn't seen this yet. She was always attempting to smile and laugh with reporters, always taking up so much space with her fake smile. I inhaled deeply forcing myself to not think about what this meant and began my route back to the garage.

⁂

I had three perfect qualifying sessions, topping the time sheets in each one. For the second time this season I placed my car in front of the first position sign and stepped out. Running to the team, they all pulled me in for a close hug. The Mercedes team waited for Lewis as well who had claimed third position. More cheers rose from the Red Bull crowd that had gathered and I turned to leave before she approached.

As I waited for the interviews to begin, she pulled off her helmet and fixed the team cap in place. Lewis suddenly was at her side,  giving her shoulders a triumphant shake. My teammate smiled widely and a hot rage settled in my stomach.

Lewis was pulled into his interview and the crowd roared. He spoke with the reporter then ran off screen to bring my teammate into the frame with him. Lewis's arm rested on her shoulder and she grinned.

"This one right here deserves a round of applause right?" The Mercedes driver looked to the crowd who erupted in applause once again. "I mean she's scored top two qualifying positions in her first two races as a full time driver with Red Bull...that's a pretty amazing achievement." He held the microphone towards her and the small laugh that escaped her caused another hot poker to sear my stomach.

"Yeah today felt amazing, honestly I owe it all to my team. They are amazing and helping me learn week by week."

The reporter proceeded with a few more questions and decided to end with one on the topic of me. I waited for her smile to falter, for her to stutter and flounder under the pressure of coming up with an answer.