After introducing Sara and her Parents to Max and Charles and having some pictures taken with them they have left to their seats, Charles and Max have gone to get ready for the race and Alexandra and I find ourself a table on the pit terrace with a drink
"So, tell me how does it feel to be an official Formula 1 wag?" She giggles and takes a sip of her cocktail
"I had lots of phone calls of my family members who I've barely spoken too but watch formula one ask me how that happened, how I dare turn their favourite driver gay and you know the usual" I respond with a smile and she looks at me shocked
"Oh are you okay with that? I can't believe how much those comments can hurt coming from distant family members" she says worried
"Ive been through worse, its honestly quite funny that they still won't support me even when I'm living a better life without them" I say and cant hold back a smile
"Well, usually we usually get comments that were dating formula 1 drivers for the money and the fame so I hope people spare you of that" she says
"Did your family ever say anything about you dating Charles?" I ask her
"Oh yeah, I used to still live with them when we just started dating and they wouldn't stop complaining how my life is so easy now without knowing how much effort I put into making it this far" she tells me
"So what did you do?" I ask
"I moved away, all the way to Paris so I could start a new life without people around me telling I didn't deserve any of this or getting reminded by everything around me that I barely got support but since I moved there I've been enjoying every second" she tells me
"Moving..." I say out loud
"Are you thinking of moving away too?" She asks me
"I am, I thought of another side of Belgium or the Netherlands" I tell her
"Why not go completely crazy? Isn't Los Angeles the city to be in when starting a music career?" She says
"What would I do in LA?" I say confused
"Famous producers, a great record deal? I don't know I just know all big international artist move there at some point in their career" she says
"What about Monaco?" I ask her
"I love being there, it's however really expensive to do literally anything there but theres a beach, casinos, clubs, bars, restaurants, you name it" she says "just nothing that's helpful for your career" she say's which is sadly true
"I don't want to move to LA and barely see Max or my friends" I tell her
"Im sure everyone would understand that choice for your career" she says
"I got my producer like 5 minutes away from my house tho" I tell her
"Well... then I got no idea... just do whatever you feel like is the right thing for you" she tells me and I start thinking
"So what if I move to LA? Get a new producer and get signed at a great record and blow up, top of the charts, sell out small venues and someday arenas. Do you think it would be worth it?"
"If you want to write history with your career definitely" she assures me
"Why can't life just push this amazing famous producer my way so I don't have to make that choice?" I groan overwhelmed by this decision
"Just sleep a couple nights about it and one day you will wake up and know what you have to do, trust the process" she tells me
"You're right, no rational decisions" I say and drink a little bit
"So what do you girls usually talk about when its more of you?" I ask interested
"Well a lots of stuff, the latest gossip. Upcoming trips and we sometimes plan some get togethers off the track."
"So is it rude to ask if I have ever been topic on these gossip sessions? I feel like you girlfriends see through a lot more then the guys" I ask her and she laughs
"Well yeah, we knew you were dating Arthur but we never knew why it ended, but I guess now we know" she tells me
"Not my proudest moment, I still feel so bad about that..." I tell her
"Did you read his letter yet?" She asks nosy
"No... Charles said I should read it when im at home but I don't even know where home is right now" I tell her and she sighs
"It's where you feel at ease, no worries and doubts and you can just calm down. It's not really a where" she corrects me and she got me smiling with that thought
"Yeah... you're right" I say and suddenly get a notification on my phone, an email from a familiar name
"Bad news?" She asks when my face changes as I read the subject of the mail
Class reunion
"Its worse than that" I tell her and put my phone away instantly
"Did someone die?" She worries
"No, its a class reunion invitation" I tell her
"Oh aren't they supposed to be nice to see your old classmates again?" She asks and I sigh
"Not when you skipped school for the last years and did homeschooling because of bullying" I drop on her "im sorry I didn't mean to trauma dump like that" I apologise
"Hey no, that's totally fine. You don't have to show up, its just an invitation" she tells me and I nod my head
"I know, I know. Its just in my head I have this thought that not showing up will prove that the bullies won but I can't show up I'm not ready for that" I tell her
"Hey they didn't win, look at you, famous singer, dating Max Verstappen" she reminds me of my achievements so far and I smile
"You're right, I don't have to prove anything anymore"
"Exactly" she says
Time passes as we watch the race, the top 3 finishing in the same order with the Mercedes close behind them
Watching Max stand on that podium with his beautiful smile is a reward for his fans for supporting him. A reward for my eyes since these scenes of him post race live rent free in my mind. Since I decided to move Max decided to move our flight back to right after the race so I had to say my goodbyes to Lando and Alexandra when I had to return to the hotel to grab my suitcases and guitar
As I enter my hotel room I see Arthurs letter still laying on my desk and tuck it away in my suitcase, stopping myself from reading it
I stare out of the window onto the balcony and the view outside of it, looking at the neon lights of the city. Thinking how I want my life to look like in a years time
Chilling in a house in Belgium or Netherlands, owning a flat in Monaco or maybe I turned into an international superstar and live in my mansion in Beverly Hills. But maybe I'm just stupid dreaming about such a beautiful life and its total nonsense...
