Dopamine | Adrenaline Book Two

26 - Blood Has Always Been Red

That day Red Bull would be hosting a celebration party at the hotel itself, their consecutive one-two podiums had put some true excitement to the team as a whole. There had been a small decline in the team wins but it seemed like they were back at their usual strike. All thanks to the civil war within Ferrari.

"Let's raise a glass for Max and Carlos, for giving us two consecutive wins!" Christian Horner announced the two drivers, who had already started on their drinks.

Max followed through by giving a speech, thanking the team as a whole for their hard work in keeping the car up to speed. Carlos chimed in, agreeing with him. After the proper compliments and congratulations, the party officially started with an open bar for the rest of the night.

If there was one thing Red Bull knew how to do, it was to party.

After taking his time to talk with most of the team, which was a considerable number of people, Max began to feel the effects of the gin tonics he had ingested. Noticing the dizziness creeping in, he decided to leave the party. As he made his way to the elevator, he was followed by Carlos, who also seemed quite drunk, still holding a drink in his hand.

"I never thought we'd ever be in the same team again, you know?" Carlos initiated the conversation as they both waited for the elevator.

"You didn't?" Max chuckled. "Why not?"

"Well, for starters, I almost didn't make it to Formula One at all because of you and Red Bull," Carlos commented.

"Yeah? I don't remember that."

"Yeah, I was in the junior program and was promised a seat if I won the championship. But before I could do anything, you took the seat that was supposed to be mine," he said casually, as if he hadn't just revealed a dramatic period of his life. "I hated both you and them for that."

His revelation left Max slightly shocked and out of words. What could he possibly say to Carlos about that? "I'm sorry"? It wasn't his fault Red Bull had decided to pick him instead, after all. At that moment, the elevator door opened at their designated floor, giving Max the excuse to leave the conversation.

"It must be nice," Carlos mumbled, standing by the elevator. "Always being the first choice."

"I'm always almost good enough. You've never known this feeling, have you?" he added.

Feeling as if Carlos was trying to provoke him, Max turned around to face him, his temper flaring. "You didn't go through half of the things I did to get to where I am. We can't have everything."

"What is that supposed to mean? I went through all the categories of Formula; you skipped them! If anything, I went through more," Carlos retorted, thinking it wouldn't really trigger anything in the blond. But it did.

"You went through more?" Max sneered, his grin filled with spite. "Come on, your family has always been together, right? You grew up with a loving father and mother, didn't you? You had your sisters around, felt all their love to this day. You're spoiled, that's what you are." He paused, watching Carlos's shocked expression.

"If there's one thing in common between me, Lewis and Charles is that we fucking went through a lot. And because of that we don't act like we just deserve to have the number one spot simply for existing." He said, deciding to leave the conversation with the Spaniard in order to head to his room.

"What are you saying? That if I want to be number one I have to have a horrible childhood? Or some traumatic experience?" Carlos shouted to Max across the corridor.