Fight for her - Charles Leclerc

09

I was home. Six again. Sitting quietly on the large sofa downstairs. My cheeks stained with tears, a massive headache and hands sore from banging on the oak door. Max had just gotten us out of the tiny store room where we usually just had the vacuum cleaner. We'd been there for around 1 hour trying to get out while we could hear our father yell at mom. She'd just come home and noticed how two of her children were locked up. Dad told her what we had done and argued that we needed to be punished.

Max and I tried so hard to push the door open. After a while I panicked and it felt like I forgot how to breathe.

My eyes quickly opened wide as I woke up from a memory I've tried to erase from my brain. Sometimes it takes months before I re-live it, other times it keeps popping up in my mind night after night.

It's gotten better since I went to therapy, and so did my dad. But only after mom forced him to, so they could save their marriage, he agreed. Even though my parent's marriage couldn't be saved in the end, it did not end due to that incident. My relationship with dad is not the best but he's my dad. I honestly don't think I would've had contact with him if he hadn't changed. He is still strict but has never gotten over the line like that again, what I know of at least.

I tried to go back to sleep since it was in the middle of the night but my head was spinning like a tornado with bad thoughts. I tried to think of something else to dream about but after half an hour I decided that it might be easier to fall asleep after a warm shower.

I was later woken up by someone banging on my door and my phone ringing on the nightstand. My brain barely understood what the name said on the screen but I answered with a yawning hello. "Did you oversleep Hannah? I'm at your door but I have to go down and eat breakfast now." I waited a few seconds with my answer while I tried figuring out who it was. When my brain finally recognised my brother's voice my body went into panic mode. I sat up straight in the bed and checked the clock on the hotel night stand. Shit. "You go down to eat, I will just come later" I hung up before he could say anything and jumped out of bed. Quicker than my brain which unfortunately resulted with me on the floor, tangled in the bedsheets. "Ouch".

When I finally got down to the hotel restaurant where they had the breakfast buffet, it was already put away. Lucky me. Instead of buying something on the go to the race, I went to the track with hopes that they had some kind of breakfast at the paddock.

Laughter and shouts filled the air at the entrance to the paddock. I scanned my card and walked in peacefully without anyone noticing me. I didn't have any outstanding clothes on, so I kind of melted in with the others who worked at the paddock. Which was good since I wanted neither the attention from the fans or the paparazzis. People were gathering everywhere, trying to get pictures of the drivers or other famous people walking inside the VIP area. I kept my head down and quickly calculated the quickest route to the red bull garage.

I was desperate for some breakfast, and thankfully It wasn't a long walk since red bull had their garage closest to the entry. I spotted Max in his red bull jacket and cap, which he never takes off, with some of the other drivers.

It would probably be good to tell him that I was here so he didn't have to text me later so I walked towards the group. When I got closer I caught a glimpse of Pierre. Run. Was my initial thought and I was only a second away from literally stopping and doing a cute 180 degree spin to walk the other way but... The other drivers had already seen me and if I did my little turn, they would probably think I'm some weird influencer stalking them.

Instead of doing what my first instinct was, I decided to keep going towards them. "Hey jolie" the French man said in front of everyone. It's a good thing my brother doesn't know any french because is he did Pierre would probably have a bruise by now. Max turned his head towards me. The look on his face! HA, Hilarious I must say. His expression changed from happy to confused to irritated and finally to his natural 'resting bitch face' and the only thing I could think of saying was: "Hi".

Max's face changed again but now to a suspicious look, "Do you know each other?" He asked shifting his look between me and Pierre. "Kind of, anyways just wanted to say hi and now I'm gonna find something to eat" I rambled, a bit nervous for more questions. My brother's not only a f1 professional he's also a professional investigator.

The others who was standing with us said a quick hi and I took my chance to leave without any investigation from Max. "Not fast enough" A voice said behind me. "How do you know each other Hannah? You know he's my friend Hannah. For fucks sake," Max got mad and stopped me. After taking a deep breath he continued, "It's fine as long it's not anything serious okay, I can't let you get hurt and you know how most of them are. I've told you and Vic about them so, just, don't do anything in front of me because I will literally smash his brains out." He rambled trying to be the bigger person than he was years ago. "Max chill. Nothing is going on between us, I promise"

"Good but how do you know him, Hannah?" He asked again. "We met at a club, I got in with Vic, you know when her boyfriend broke up with her." With that I hoped he would let me go and not ask for more details. He stayed quiet. "I really need to eat something, and please don't smash his brains out" Max stayed quiet for once, probably thinking about how to react to the new information and If I might've been lying.