Nemesism [Max Verstappen]

[21] what happens in the shadows

What did I say at the beginning of the last chapter? Sorry for the few updates?

Well fuck that, because here is another chapter for today! Powered through those 4000 words :)

Also TW's for: injury, assault, getting high on prescription medication

Enjoy!

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Lucy's diary

I just arrived in China for the next race, haven't seen Max yet though. I don't even know if I want to- who am I kidding? All I can think about is seeing him again, wondering what will happen and how he will react.
Honestly, the way I know him he'll probably ignore me until Christian forces us to interact again. But I'll try not to jump to conclusions yet. Max has changed a bit over the last couple weeks...

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»Checo, do you know where Max is? Christian told me to do an interview with him, since I didn't get to do one after practice yesterday.« Lucy sighed internally, hoping the Mexican would have good news for her. Max treating her like she was air for two days straight was one thing, but she didn't want her work suffering under it.

But Checo just shrugged with an empathetic smile and said, »Sorry, I think he's doing some other media stuff... or maybe he's just hiding.«

»Thanks anyway...«

Indecisive Lucy stood in the middle of the hospitality, her gaze directed to the paddock. The reasonable side of her told her to stay, just wait it out until Max would eventually show up again and observe the rest of the team in the meanwhile... but wasn't that exactly what she did every race weekend? Sit here and hold out for a minute or two of Max's attention?

By now she knew more about the engineers and other crew members than herself. She'd memorized all their names and faces, was familiar with the steps they went through on the cars after a practice session or qualifying- hell, she even knew what they liked to eat for lunch anf that Tommy, one of the engineers, didn't like pickles on his sandwich.

It was decided before Lucy's mind even knew it, her legs just carried her out of the facility and into the paddock. It felt freeing, blending into the crowd and being able to just disappear. She was walking around aimlessly, but convinced herself that she was just looking for Max (which she had to anyways, so she could satisfy her boss), so she wouldn't feel bad.

Not even ten minutes later Lucy found herself in a labyrinth of narrow paths weaving through all the temporary buildings. It was much quieter back here and she had a moment to breathe. All the frustration and anger were bubbling up again, visible by how tightly the girl was gripping the notebook in her hands.

Her own feelings worried her a bit, never having been the type of person to be resentful or get mad. Lucy's process usually only contained self-blame and sadness, not whatever had been going on with her lately. Frankly she had no idea how to get rid of all the negative emotions. It felt like a big... lump was forming inside her, just growing every time she swallowed her frustration.

»Hello! Are you Lucy Forrester?«

The girl had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't heard footsteps approach her. Caught off guard her head jerked up, spotting two men approaching her. According to the badged they had hung around their necks and recording devices in their hands, they had to be reporters as well. Nothing too odd.