The anatomy of a champion • I •

32.

Right on clock, Max was knocking on my door. Before i got to the door, strange feelings ran through my body, some kind of stomach churning and flutters. It was an odd feeling, a feeling I thought my body wasnt able to produce anymore.
He was caring a bag of take-away food "junk food for tonight" he said enthusiastic. Seeing that bag of food it crossed my mind that maybe I was hungry, hence those feelings in the stomach.

"You don't like pickles!?" Max asked me in shock when he saw me removing them from my burger. Yeap,  I was weird like that, i've never been a fan of any kind of pickles. I shrugged "i find them quite gross and guess what, i don't like olives either" Max wided his eyes in another shock "are you some kind of witch?"
"Yup, scared much?" I asked with a devilish frown that only caused him to laugh of my attempt to be scarry "nope" he replied "more pickles and olives for me" while taking the ones I put aside.

Even though our interactions were mostly filled with sexual tension, seeing him now doing trivial things or how his blue eyes crinkled when he smiled and how often he puts his hand on his face as if he had some kind of nervousness, I lost myself in my own thoughts noticing those little things that made him so wonderful. Those fucking flutters appeared again only this time I understood that they were not the cause of hunger but because I was falling for him, fast and hard.

"Fun fact about me" he snapped me out from my thoughts "i don't like the feeling of hot beverages. I don't drink coffee or tea" wow, that was a shock for me now. I'm a big fan of coffee. I could live only with coffee and cigarettes.
"How do you manage the mornings then?" I asked curiosly "with red bull" i didn't say my habits are healthy but neither his weren't. I rolled my eyes back "you know, this is not a broadcast interview. I won't tell if you hate the drink" but he was serious, even showing me his mini frige in his home, full with redbull cans.

After finishing the dinner, we decided to watch a movie. He let me chose one. Another gold star added to his pile. Scrolling on some of the movie apps I stopped at a psychological thriller which i have seen before, but Max had not. I didn't mind watching the same movie more than once if it was a good one. Fortunately, the film's narrative captured Max, who hardly took his eyes off the screen. At one point he took my hand in his own interwinding our fingers. My mind and heart began to race as I was trying to come to terms with the unfamiliar feelings that were moving towards him with a speed that I could not stop. I nested my head on Max's lap and soon after my breathing grew slower and slower as my eyelids grew heavier and heavier to fall asleep within minutes.

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On qualifying day before the drivers begin their fastest laps I saw Charles from afar, for the first time after the race in Bahrain. He was talking to his race engineer, and his body language seemed calm and satisfied. I knew they were confident about their car and as Alex told me, they have high hopes that it would be another victory for the Ferrari team
He caught me looking at him and waved at me. Maybe it was good time to go and talk with him, but something stopped me, I shook my head, waved back and just went on my way in the opposite direction.

Charles set the fastest time for pole position ahead of Max and Checo. Fernando Alonso crashed during the Q3 causing a safety car, and Dr. Roberts checked on him. After quali and race there is always some press conference or media duties that the drivers are obligated to attend. Max told me last night to wait for him but i've texted letting him know i will go back to the hotel sooner with Alex.

Back at the hotel, I was preparing to go down for a light walk with Alex. For the first time I was the one waiting for him and so I decided to wait in front of the hotel so i could smoke. When the doors opened "finally!!" I said very articulated thinking it was Alex, but it was actually Charles. She remained silent in front of him for a moment. "good evening to you too " the Ferrari driver said in a cold tone but immediately afterwards he smiled in his own way that always made my knees go soft "congratulations for the pole position" I managed to gather some words to speak. "thank you" he replied with a slight grin around his face

"Charles...I really wanted to talk to you, but I didn't really have the chance" he looked at me in wonder. Fuck...his facial features, regardless of the mood he was in, was simply gorgeous. God was having a very good day when he created him.

"about that morning in Bahrain..." I continued and he raised an eyebrow, understanding where I wanted to take the conversation "let's leave it as it was, it really doesn't matter anymore" ouch...his words somehow hurt me.

But I didn't want to leave things like that. Because ...i don't know...i just don' t want to. But what if he will ask what is between me and Max. Lie and say it is nothing, when clearly there is something.
By my age i should have learn that my mind doesnt always cooperate with the mouth.
"hey, let's make an AD NOTE on our last deal. If you win this race I'm going to wait for you right here at 9 PM so we can go and celebrate your victory. And if you don't show up...i will understand"

That was so fucking crazy. I'm so gonna regret when everything will blow up in my face.
I should just leave things as they were, not complicating them unnecessary when i have other complicated things with Max.
Just as I finished the sentence, Alex showed up. Why from all the days, he had to be late on this one?!
The boys talked a little about the qualis and afterwards we all went in different directions.

"Was I interrupting something?" Alex asked when we began our walk "no" i said with a disappointing voice. Probably Alex understood i was not in the mood to talk about that and he was not Diana to know how to manage this kind of situations.