[3] MARANELLO || C. LECLERC

PROLOGUE

MARANELLO

»»——⍟——««

May 29, 2016

I walked into the club between Carlos and Daniel, sighing to myself as I thought about Max who was back at home. The Monaco Grand Prix didn't go his way today and he didn't want to come out to the Amber Lounge party, but he didn't want me to miss out, so told me to come out with Daniel, Carlos and Nico to have a good night.

Max and I had been living together in Monaco for just over six months, after he begged my parents to let me share his apartment. We needed one another after that awful evening back in Hasselt where Stefan thought it was acceptable to take advantage of me because I wore a dress which revealed a slight amount of skin. I loved being in Monaco with him whilst still often travelling back to my parents' house in Amsterdam whenever I needed to be over there for work. Despite having to live with the thought of Stefan and how he hurt me and used me that night, I enjoyed the life I did lead, especially after my best friend dragged me out of the most depressing period of my life I'd ever faced. I never thought I'd be able to set foot into a club again, and maybe the Amber Lounge party was different, but here I was. I just wanted my best friend to enjoy the evening with me.

"What would you like to drink, Camille?" Daniel's accent was strong as he brought his lips close to my ear, brushing them against my skin as his hand rested on my shoulder blade.

I flashed him a sweet smile, "just a lemonade, please. I'm not drinking tonight."

I knew he wouldn't push it. Daniel knew about the shit I'd been through and he knew to go easy on me whilst keeping an eye on me. Loosely, I held onto the material of Daniel's shirt, standing behind him and remaining stationary as I waited patiently for my drink to be handed to me from Dan.

"Lemonade with absolutely no trace of ice," his brows lifted as the glass of cold liquid was placed into my hands from his firm ones. Daniel flashed me that beautiful, radiant smile, before stepping away from the bar and slipping his arm around my waist. Together with Nico and Carlos, we found a table in the corner of the room, a sigh falling over my lips as I sat comfortably in the seat. "Tired?"

"Exhausted," I shook my head, tugging on the roots or my hair as I looked at the three men who sat before me. I was the youngest out of us all, my eighteen year old self so desperate to get back into my warm bed, whilst wishing I'd not come out in the first place. "I've had such a busy weekend. I'm so tired, so glad I'm not working for a week."

Every driver on the grid knew me as Camille, Max Verstappen's best friend, but every single affiliate of Formula One knew me because of my occupation. I passed so many people in the paddock who told me how beautiful I was, and I was grateful, but I wanted people to know me for my personality and the way I supported Max, not for my looks. As a model however, I only had to expect that, because I'd learnt that men were seemingly only interested in my body. It was tough to come to terms with, but I managed to deal with it and I did love my job and everything that came with it. I was lucky that Max's closest friends, evidently including Daniel, Nico and Carlos, appreciated me for everything other than my job, whilst supporting me throughout my journey. I loved being so involved in Max's career; travelling to as many races on the calendar with my best friend was such an exciting prospect, and it was everything I needed after the tough year I'd experienced after Stefan.

--

The boys dispersed throughout the night, Carlos and Nico both leaving Daniel and I at our original table. I was completely sober, yet totally aware that Daniel was feeling a little tipsy and totally itching to leave me be for a while and dance in the middle of the room. Daniel was a great friend to me, and he was too caring to realise that half an hour apart wouldn't do any harm to either of us. After such a great race on his behalf today, I wanted him to have fun. I trusted myself, even more so when I was sober, and I was always extremely cautious of my surroundings after Stefan took advantage of me. Even though everything that happened on that awful evening still haunted me, sending shivers up my spine whenever I had a brief moment to think about it, I tried to put it behind me. I didn't want to dwell on it for the rest of my life. I was totally over it.