[3] MARANELLO || C. LECLERC

FORTY THREE

* there is no explicit attention to detail of a crash in this chapter, however, there are small descriptions made. the included descriptions are not severe, nor are they intended to make any readers feel uncomfortable. therefore, the trigger warning for this chapter is LOW. this may change over upcoming chapters, but i will warn you at the beginning like this. as always, please show your support as you read! it's taken me a little while to get this chapter perfect. *

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CAMILLE

"It's Max."

The words replayed over and over in my head.

My entire body fell weak and limp, as if I was about to collapse because I couldn't bring enough air into my body. My lips parted as if there was something I had to say, but no words came out, and instead, I found myself gawping at Jenson. I felt paralysed, or trapped in a nightmare that I couldn't wake myself up from. I wanted him to reach out for me, to hold me so that I didn't fall, but I don't think it registered within him, because it didn't register within me. Still clutching at my stomach, I turned away and rushed towards the Red Bull garage.

Time stood still. My legs, which only a few seconds ago felt like jelly, moved faster than ever before to get me to where I needed to be. No wonder there was such an eerie silence in the paddock, with only the soft droning of the hybrid engines in the distance as the cars made their way back to the pits. I assumed the race had been red flagged. The way Jenson portrayed this accident made it seem like something bad had happened. I didn't want to know. Out of everything in this world, losing Max was my biggest fear. Nothing would compare to the dread I felt when I thought about my best friend being injured, or worse.

The garage was silent. It was like nobody was even breathing out of pure fear and panic. The mechanics who were usually bouncing their legs with adrenaline and excitement were staring at the screens with bleak eyes. I couldn't bring myself to look at the screen with them. I didn't want to see the on-track carnage. I couldn't do that to myself.

As I immersed myself into the deafening silence, I found myself asking questions which weren't exactly necessary. What happened? Did someone crash into him? Did he lose control of the car? Was he a passenger? Could he have done anything to stop it? Was Charles involved?

I stopped after that final question and took a breath, reaching out to hold onto someone or something to prevent myself from falling over. It's Max. I could still hear Jenson's words in my mind, from the way he said it to the way he exhaled afterwards. I knew it was serious, too, because the race was red flagged. No yellow flags, no safety car - a straight red flag.

Only a little while ago, Max and I were talking about my fear of losing him. He promised I would never have to go through that. And here I am.

I saw Christian at the front of the garage, obviously having just made his way from the pit wall before the cars piled back in. My hands were trembling, and my eyes were somewhat fuzzy, causing my vision to cloud and blur, but I still managed to stumble towards Christian. He knew, better than anyone at Red Bull, about my friendship with Max. He'd practically watched us grow up together, ever since Max joined the Red Bull family. He knew that this was my biggest fear. When I found his arms, I let out a terrified sigh, and that's when the tears fell.

I couldn't utter a word. My mouth dried up as Christian held me, and he just allowed me to cry against his team shirt while I gripped onto the material. I was here with only Max and Charles, none of our families were able to make it, so it was just me. I knew they would be at home feeling terrified because of what they'd seen on television. I feel sick. If it wasn't for Christian's tight grip on my body getting me through these first terrifying moments, I would've collapsed onto the floor and knocked myself out. I could feel it.