No Regrets, Only Memories

Hidden Disappointment

Maeve

"So you want me to actually drive? I'm not sitting second?"

Christian Horner was currently sitting on the couch in my suite with a glass of water in his hand staring at me.

Imagine my surprise when Christina knocked on my door just moments after my shower. He was the last person I wanted to see after being proven correct this week that the issue needed to be fixed, it just needed some work. It would've been easier to let two cars die in practice and be allowed to work on both of them than only have one to experiment on and have the other die in the race. He had denied me the opportunity and gone as far as to show up in my drivers room to read me the riot act when I tried to get Simon on my side to have the changes made. It was because "They didn't look promising enough" and "just in case" it didn't work. It was bull shit. I found the problem and I knew how to solve it. There were just tweaks that had to be made.

"No. It has become obvious to the team and all the strategists that you have a more aggressive nature and we need that at this point. You're second in the championship with two races completed. It is imperative that you are driving as if you were a single competitor and not second to Daniel." I licked my lips as I stared at Christian from the seat across the coffee table from him.

"Daniel has the pace though. He would've placed higher than me today if the engine issue had been corrected in his car as well." I reminded him in the most professional 'I told you so' way I could, still upset that my corrections had not been made to the team's second car. That was putting it lightly.

"We understand, but now things have changed. As I told you in the paddock this week, you are now a driver and engineer. Part of being a driver is driving. I need you to be Max, not his seat holder." I sat back and rubbed the back of my neck.

He was putting me between a rock and a hard place. My allegiance should lie with Daniel. I'm only here because of him. The team was my job though. Christian had to see how ridiculous it was that he asked this of me.

"I don't want to do that, Christian. Daniel wants the WDC. I'm not here for a WDC." Christian shook his head. He didn't even try and see how insane this was.

"I don't care what either of you want. My job is to do what is best for the team. You will do this or I can find someone else." I scoffed, sitting forward and throwing my hands up in outrage.

"You told me the other two aren't ready for the promotion. Go ahead and pull Gasly into this, he'll fold in two races." I shook my head, knowing that I was correct. Christian knew how to piss me off though, the trigger words to make it clear that his way was the way things would be done.

"At least he'll try." That made me stare at Christian with the least amount of emotion I possibly could.

"I always try Christian, but I won't take a championship from someone that deserves it." Christian sighed and stood from his seat, leaving his glass on the table.

"Then you go back to the factory if you cannot see past your friendship with Daniel. You two are competitors now and teammates. If you cannot drive as the competitor when the time comes, then you leave."

He didn't let me say anything as he left my room with the threat of me leaving. All I could do was sit back and lay my arms on the armrests of the chair and throw my head back as I groaned. Daniel did want a championship. I'd take one if given to me, but I was simply a placeholder. If we could get the issues with the car worked out, we were capable of winning a few races this year and a championship was entirely possible. My best friend wanted that.

A knock on the door pulled me from the minor existential crisis I was having. I wanted it to not be who I thought it was, but opening it to Daniel's concerned face was the last thing I needed right now. He had already seen me pissed off enough this week and I didn't feel like extending that image in his mind.