Lestappen : As Long As We're Together

The Leak

MAX

Everything was going perfectly. I even woke up earlier than Charles sometimes. And then it wasn't.

It was a perfect day and we were eating breakfast at the kitchen island. Charles was showing me a picture he took of Leo. And then the first notification appeared on his phone. 'Dating? Charles leclerc and Max Verstappen'

And then my phone buzzed. And then again and again and again, "Max?" He asked, "What's going on?"

His phone rang and then mine did too. Frantic PR teams screeched and yelled, making us wince. I looked at him when it finally hit me. They know.

A tear trickled down Charles' cheek and I brushed it away. He didn't move. The phone fell out of his hands and I cut on the PR team, "Charlie?"
"We're losing investors." He shook his head, "They're not happy." Another tear rolled down his cheek, "They said that we have to go over there and discuss the future."
"It'll be fine, Charles."

Charles wasn't holding up well. The people outside our house yelled slurs and expressed joy but the cameras flashed all the same. Charles and I had hooded jackets and sunglasses on but they didn't do much against them.

The security that had been called hesitated while doing their jobs, unsure about whether they wanted to protect us.

When we finally got into the car Charles was silent the entire drive. A single tear made its way down his cheek.

"We'll get through this." I said, and he smiled sadly at me. "As long as we're together."