Mask off - Mick Schumacher

Chapter 15: Awkward

October 2023, Monte-Carlo, Monaco

"Dude, Clara just texted me that Sabine's throwing a party for her graduation." Esteban said, reading the texts from his girlfriend.

Mick looked up from his phone, raising an eyebrow, "Sabine? As in my manager, Sabine?" He asked, as he sat in a VIP booth at some club. "Do you think she'll invite me?"

"Why do you care?" Esteban teased him, "And no, she clearly didn't invite you since the party has already started." He snorted and sat on the couch, looking at Mick's face. "Wait, you didn't tell her you were busy, did you?"

Mick rolled his eyes, throwing the phone onto the table next to him. "Nah, I haven't said anything to her." He said, avoiding eye contact with Esteban. He was never good at lying, and he knew that. "I wouldn't wanna go anyway."

"Mick," Esteban sighed, "why did you refuse her invite, you idiot? You've been pining over her for months and when she invites you, you turn her down. It's a party, not the christening of her nephew!"

The German groaned, knowing that Esteban was right. "You don't understand, man. It's been awkward between the two of us ever since that night." He looked back up at Esteban, his cheeks blushing slightly at the memory. "And if I go, it'll probably just make things weirder."

"Mick, it was one year ago, for god's sake." Esteban rolled his eyes. "I've seen the two of you together, you're totally able to keep things professional."

Mick rubbed his face with his hands, still refusing to look at Esteban. He knew that his friend was right, but there was still that little bit of doubt in his heart. "I don't know, man. I know we're fine when we're working, but whenever we're not..." He trailed off, unable to explain the weird tension between them whenever they weren't working together.

"What?" Esteban looked at him. "It's obvious it feels weird. You tried talking to her about it once and it ended in your girlfriend catching you two red-handed." He sighed. "But, please, don't make things worse. If she invited you, it means she wanted you to be there."

Mick took a deep breath and let it out slowly, nodding his head. "You're right, I know you're right. I don't even know if I should go, it's probably too late by now anyway."

"It's not even midnight, get your ass up and go to that party." Esteban said quietly. "Problem is, you don't have a present, do you?"

He stopped in his tracks, his heart sinking as he realised he didn't have a present. He facepalmed himself, feeling stupid, knowing it was too late to go shopping. "Fuck, I didn't even think about that."

"Just tell her you'll give it to her tomorrow, she'll probably be drunk enough not to remember it anyway." Esteban said.

Mick nodded, sighing heavily. He knew Esteban was right, no matter how much he didn't want to admit it. "Yeah, I hear you." He nodded and made his way out of the club after saying bye to his friends.