Away We Go • 2 • Formula One

Chapter 47

this chapter is so long oops

longer chapters = more stuff to comment on 😏

as always, please don't forget to vote and comment throughout. your engagement really helps me as an author!

pls it's 3am let me wake up to loads of comments it's over 8500 words long😭

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As predicted, I didn't get nearly as much sleep as Lizzie had instructed me to. A mixture of fear from my nightmare and the guilt of neglecting Max's emotions taunted my heavy eyelids. It probably didn't help the position in which Max and I were sleeping: me straddling his waist with my head nestled into his shoulder as he lay propped up by the headboard. I had no idea whether Max was able to get more sleep than me, however the slight bags under his eyes when my alarm went off made me think that he didn't get enough. If we were going to get through this, we needed each other now more than ever.

I still couldn't believe how selfish I had been. I didn't take the time to think of the consequences of my actions, like how much it would hurt Max when I tried to break up with him. In a relationship, you can't just think about yourself, and that's exactly what I had been doing. Why he wants to spend the rest of his life with me for company is a complete mystery.

Stoffel arrived at the apartment late morning on the same electric scooter he picked me up with every circuit day. We arranged to get lunch with Lewis when we arrived at the circuit, however I was reluctant to leave Max's side. I was doubting my Fiancé's reassurance that he was okay, much like he would do for me. As a compromise, I forced Stoffel to wait with us until Max's trainer arrived to jog in with him; I didn't want him being alone. Max was going to bring Murray with him upon a request from Lewis, who wanted Roscoe to have a companion as they watched the race from Mercedes hospitality.

"Someone get this girl a coffee," were the first words Toto spoke as soon as he saw me enter the Mercedes hospitality. I didn't particularly like coffee but I was too tired to protest. Toto's brow was furrowed, which caused wrinkles and indentations to appear in between his eyebrows. His lips were drawn into a tight line as he looked at me with concern. Lewis, who was standing beside Toto in his back brace, wore a similar expression. I guess that my attempts to make myself look less dead this morning were failing miserably.

I groaned softly. "Do I really look that bad?"

Both Toto and Lewis quickly replied with a "no" at the same time, however Stoffel was a little more honest in his answer: "Yes."

"What?" He innocently shrugged. "Your under-eye bags look like they could fit my weekly shopping in and still have room to spare. I'm not going to lie to you just because we're teammates."

"How thoughtful," I sarcastically replied, my tone more bitter than anticipated. "Sorry," I rubbed my temple and sighed, softening my voice, "I didn't get a lot of sleep."

"You still on for lunch together?" Lewis asked. The left side of his mouth was pulled slightly to the side as if in thought as he analysed my expression.

I nodded my head and forced a smile. "Yeah, of course. Half twelve?"

"Yeah, that gives you an hour and a half to get what you need to do done," Lewis said as he checked the expensive and flashy watch on his wrist. "Lizzie said she'd be waiting for you in your room."

"Thanks, Lew," I let out a small sigh, "I'll see you all later." Before leaving, I pressed a soft kiss of thanks to Stof's cheek before he even had a chance to protest the action, reassuring him that it wasn't a part of the joke for twenty pounds. He may irritate me to the point where I want to slap the smirk off his face, but he didn't let what happened influence how he acts towards me. I'll take his jokes and pokes anyway over the pity smiles. I was also grateful for his lifts to the circuit because jogging is one of my least favourite forms of exercise. How Max manages to enjoy it is a mystery, especially when the weather outside is horrendous.