Until she wins

5- talks

I was sitting, hugging my legs to my chest, on the bed. I could hear Max shouting at our dad on the phone and I knew they were talking about me. I couldn't make out what my dad was saying but I could hear every word of what Max was saying.

"SO YOU EXPECTED ME TO JUST LEAVE HER LYING THERE UNCONCIOUS? I'M STILL IN THE RACE I JUST HAVE TO START FROM THE BACK OF THE GRID!" I heard him shout.

My dad was so angry at Max because he skipped qualifying to make sure I was ok after I passed out. It was all my fault. Tears were forming in my eyes and I fought to keep them back. My phone buzzed next to me and a text notification came up. It was Jessica. Reluctantly I opened the message.

-Ur such a little bitch. When u get back to skl ur done for! 

Great that was exactly what I needed right now. Why was everything going wrong for me? I heard Max walking towards my room and I quickly dried my eyes on my sleeve. A second later he knocked on my door before opening it slightly. 

"How you feeling?" he asked. I shrugged in response.

"I just spoke to dad..." he continued. "He wants you to get on the next flight home to him but I convinced him to let you stay until after the race."

I didn't say anything. I just kept looking down, not meeting his eyes, nodding.

"Look at me." Max said calmly. When I did not he gently lifted my head up so our eyes met. He let out a despairing sigh as he saw my red eyes from where I was crying. 

"Talk to me!" he said pleadingly. I wanted to tell him everything. How I'd not been eating, what Jessica was doing, how I was hurting myself, but I just couldn't. I didn't want him to treat me differently and act like I was a bomb about to explode at any second. My phone buzzed again making both of us look down to see who it was. It was Jessica again.

-Stop being such a pussy and fucking answer me!

Before I could get there first, Max grabbed my phone.

"MAX STOP GIVE ME BACK MY PHONE!" I yelled at him.

"No not until you tell me what's going on!" he said sternly yet still calmly.

I sighed weighing out my options in my head. After a minute or two, I came to the decision that I would talk to Max but I wouldn't tell him the whole truth. 

"I just haven't really been coping well with everything recently..." I began. Max reached out and held my hand to comfort me.

I continued talking. "Jessica's been getting worse since last year when we had the argument and even then I was struggling. Now everything dad's doing is just pushing me over the edge."

"Dad? What's he been doing to you?" 

I froze realising that Max didn't know about our dad hitting me.

"He..." I tried to get my words out but I was overcome with fear and sadness. "H-he's been..." I started stuttering as tears began to pour out from my eyes. Max gently squeezed my hand, rubbing the top of it with him thumb. I felt like I was about to break. "He's been h-hitting me!"

Immediately I broke down, it felt like I was crying a whole ocean. I buried my head into Max's shoulder as he hugged me tightly to him.

"I can't do it anymore, I can't deal with him!" I wept.

"I know... I know. Just breathe ok. I promise you nothings going to happen as long as I'm here." Max comforted me.

"BUT YOU'RE NEVER THERE WHEN IT GETS REALLY BAD! YOU'RE ALWAYS OFF RACING AND EVERY BAD THING THAT HAPPENS, DAD ALWAYS TAKES OUT ON ME!" 

The look on Max's face told me he felt like the worst person in the world. For a minute I thought he was going to start crying too.

"I know and I'm sorry. I didn't know what he was doing to you and now that I do, I'll make sure that things change."

"HOW?"

Max took a second to think before answering. "You're not living with him anymore."

I didn't understand. If I wasn't living with my dad I wouldn't have a home!

"You can't live with someone who does that to you. You're always round my house anyway so I think it would be best if you came to live with us. We'll need to get the courts involved though if I'm going to be your legal guardian." he said. 

"Don't be scared though" he added seeing the terrified look on my face.

"WHAT IF THE COURTS TAKE ME AWAY AND PUT ME IN FOSTER CARE!" I cried.

"They won't! I promise you I'll do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen. You belong at home with me, Kelly and P."