RACING HEARTS: trapped between two champions

Chapter 2 //

She was looking outside of the luxury car window, drowning in her thoughts while tapping with her finger. Returning there after all these years is probably one of the hardest things Mia has ever faced.

The car stopped and Max looked at his older sister, knowing that she would be mad if he said something, so he just stepped out instead. "Hey Max..." Her voice stopped his movements. "Hm?"

"Good luck." Mia turned to her little brother and offered him a small smile. His face brightened slightly, and he nodded. She knew he was nervous dince it was the first race of the season, so her support was especially meaningful to him. Max closed the door of the car and left. She didn't want to go, not yet. She wasn't ready. What if the reporters ask her about him? What if she gets a mental breakdown in front of everyone? No...she needed to face it.

"Everything alright?" The drivers voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Y-yeah." Now she definitely needed to go. Mia took a deep breath and left the car.

Her whole body was shaking as she was walking towards the gates. Everything felt like it was in slow motion, and she felt every eye looking at her. Time seemed to stretch out like taffy, and every gaze felt judgy. She reached the gate and when she was about to take out her pass, a strong male voice echoed from in front of her. "You were really about to ask this lady for her pass?" It was no one else than Kimi. "She's a Verstappen you idiots." She gave him a small smile as the security guard apologised and let her through. "Hi." Was the only thing she managed to say. "Hi? Really?" Kimi pulled her into a hug, which she didn't expect it at all. Caught off guard, she patted his back, unsure of how to respond. They haven't seen each other for a while, and they were good friends but Kimi doesnt like hugs or any kind of physical contact. Was he only doing it because he felt sorry for her? But how could he? He doesn't know the whole story about them, no one does, and no one ever will, hopefully. "I'm happy to see you too, Mr. Iceman." She knew it drove him crazy when she called him that.

"Call me like that again and Ill knock your lights out." He broke the hug and smiled. Classic Kimi. They had a small chitchat after for a few minutes to update each other about their lives before they headed to the paddock. He knew she was nervous, but he didn't say anything, he wasn't a big of a comforter. Shortly after, he headed to his own garage to get ready, and she went to see what her brother was up to. She tried to not really think about anything besides her brother's race. She needed to remind herself that Max was always her biggest supporter...actually.... Second biggest...but that doesn't matter. He was always there for her and now she needed to be there for him.

Max was already sitting in his car, talking with the engineers, and getting everything ready. He looked so focused. Jos was squatting behind the wheels, probably checking if everything looks as it should. Mia took a deep breath and came over to them. "You're gonna kill it today." She said out of nowhere. Max looked over to his big sister, all happy that she really came. "You think?" her brother was always so confident in this, but now he sounded a bit unsure. "I don't think, I know." She received the biggest smile from him. Their father never believed in them, so they always leaned on each other for support. When Max became a racing driver and Mia became a model, Jos pretended that his previous doubts about them had never existed. as if he had never ridiculed their dreams. They had a father, but never a dad.... but it made them stronger.

"Thank you for being here Mia, it means a lot..." You could see a bit of fear in his eyes as he was looking up at her. She nodded and gave him one last smile before the it was time to head on the track. "Go get 'em, Max! Get 'em!" Mia yelled at him as he drove away.

Few laps in and Max is leading. Mia couldn't be happier for him. She was so proud...seeing her little brother overtake everyone and absolutely nail the race made her tear up a bit. She was sitting and swinging her legs, looking up at the screen and watching focused when a strange voice she couldn't sort anywhere chimed in from behind her. "Wow, he's really good."

She turned around and her heart stopped beating for a moment. There was a tall, blonde and blue-eyed boy standing in front of her. It was Mick...Mick Schumacher. Mia didn't even move or say anything. A warm wave of sweat drenched her body and it felt like the world stopped for a moment. Her heart suddenly shattered, feeling a mixture of sorrow and grief as she saw just how much Mick resembled his father. He was his twin. Same eyes, same smile, same eyebrows, same nose...It was like if Michael stood there instead of him. This was the moment Mia was afraid of the most. Seeing Mick now, the spitting image of his father, brought back a flood of memories and emotions she had buried deep inside after Michael's accident.

Mick and Mia were like siblings back then. The Verstappen and Schumacher families often spent the whole summer together. Every year it was either 2 months long vacation somewhere on the other side of the world or spending every day hanging out at each other's houses. Mick was 11 years younger than her, so he mostly spent time with Max, but he still felt like a little brother to her, until the accident. The families separated after, for Michael's own good and privacy.

"Mia...?" He put a hand on her shoulder to drag her out of her thoughts. She flinched and started breathing heavily, her eyes flooded with tears as she looked at him one more time before running away. The weight of her emotions was too heavy to bear. "Mia!!" Without a word, she ran, desperate to escape the overwhelming flood of memories Mick had accidentally unleashed. With each step, her heart ached with pain. He just stood there and watched her disappear.

She found herself at the very back of the paddock, where there wasn't a single soul. She finally allowed herself to completely break down. The weight of missing someone, who was once her everything, hit her like a tidal wave. Everything is gone now and it'll never ever be the same. She sobbed uncontrollably. As the tears streamed down her face, she whispered his name, hoping he would magically come back to her. Mia collapsed down, against the wall of a trailer, and gripped her knees, pressing them tight against her chest. She closed her eyes and wished it was her who got hurt that day, not him.