What A Time // Max Verstappen

28

Just a few days after Valentines Day, it was time for the world of F1 to wake up once again as the 2022 grid was heading to Barcelona, Spain for the first of two pre season test weekends.

"So, what do you think the car will be like on track?" Anna asked as she swiped her paddock pass over the reader and let it beep before walking through.

"Hopefully fast." Max replied as he did the same and followed Anna into the paddock.

"No. Really?" Anna said sarcastically.

"Shut up." Max told her as he rolled his eyes before giving her a slight shove.

"You're the one who wants an F1 car to be fast. It's kind of the point." She spoke as the walked towards the RedBull hospitality building.

The best thing about Barcelona was that Formula One was classing it more as a shakedown rather than an actual test meaning their was no media present and the couple were free to act normal.

Anna feared the start of the F1 season and all of the journalists and photographers that would be around the paddock taking picture and reporting about the pair and their new relationship.

"I've never seen a paddock so quiet." Max said as he took Anna's hand in his own.

"I know. I really like it." Anna replied with a smile on her face, glad they could be opening affectionate in the paddock for just a while.

The pair headed inside the Red Bull hospitality building which was second in the long line of buildings that were ordered in line with last year's constructers championship standings.

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The shakedown in Barcelona took place over the course of 3 days with 16 drivers testing each day. Some of the results were expected while others weren't showing how no team was ready to give away their secrets just yet.

After Barcelona, Max and Anna decided to head back home for a while and officially tell their friends and family that they were now a couple.

They were now in The Netherlands and on their way to surprise Anna's parents after not telling them they were coming back for a while before Max had to test in Bahrain in 2 weeks.

"Nervous?" Max asked as the pair drive from the airport to Anna's parents house.

"Little bit."  Anna admitted as she turned from looking out the window to the man next to her.

"Don't be. I'm sure you're parents will love me." Max replied sarcastically as he took Anna's hand in her own.

"You're not helping." Anna rolled her eyes at the Red Bull driver.

"Come on Anna. We've been best friends forever, nothing has changed. It's gonna be fine." Max spoke as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

After a few more minutes of driving, Max eventually turned up Anna's family home street before pulling up along the road at the bottom of the driver.

"Let's go." Max said as he put the car into park and opened his door.

Anna got out too as the pair decided to leave this bags in the car until they completed the actual surprise.

They walked up the driveway and up onto the front porch of Anna's childhood home before the brown haired girl lifted her hand into a fist and knock on the wood.

"I'll get it." The voice of Anna's father called out from inside the house causing the girl to smile. "Anna?"

"Hi dad." Anna smiled in reply as her dad opened the door and stood in shook.

"Who is it dear?" Anna's mother asked as she was pulled into a hug by her dad. "Anna?"

"Hey mum." Anna spoke as she pulled away from her dad's arms and wrapped her arms around her mother.

"What are you guys doing here?" Anna's dad wondered as he looked between his daughter and Max.

"Thought we'd come and surprise you while Max had a break." Anna explained to her parents.

"Come in, come in." Anna's mother waved the pair into the house.

"I'll get our bags." Max said as he smiled at Anna before walking back to the car while Anna headed inside with her parents.

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"They took that well." Anna spoke as she collapsed onto the bed in her childhood bedroom.

She and Max had spent hours with their parents after telling them about their relationship while the older couple spoke about pair's childhood and how everyone thought they would always end up together.

"Of course they did. Your parents love me. Always have, always will." Max replied as he laid down next to Anna after placing a kiss on her lips.

"Unless you break my heart. Then my dad will have something to say." Anna said as she sat up and used her elbow to prompt herself up to look at the F1 driver.

"Not gonna happen." Max assured her. "But if it ever did, I would be more scared of your mum."

"Yeh. Me too actually." Anna laughed before letting herself fall back onto the bed.

They had been talking for hours and it was now nearly 2am and the pair were exhausted from the long day of travelling.

"What are we doing tomorrow?" Max wondered as the pair held hands while staring at the ceiling.

"How about going to see Finn and Zoe?" Anna suggested and Max agreed with his girlfriend. "I can't wait to see Zoe's face when we tell her we're a couple. She will freak, you should've seen her face after she found out we slept together at New Year's."

"I can imagine." Max laughed as he pictured the face of one of his best friend's girlfriend.

"For now. Sleep." The brown haired girl said as she cuddled into Max's chest and closed her eyes.

"At least get changed out your jeans and brush your teeth." Max replied as she tried to push her off but Anna just held on tighter. "Anna. Anna. Anna."

Max continued to say her name before realising that she had actually fallen asleep and wasn't pretending.

Deciding against waking the girl in his arms due to the long day they had, Max helped her into her pyjamas before tucking her into bed and crawling in next to her as the pair cuddled up and fell asleep.

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Sorry for the gap in updates🙈 I've been chipping away at writing this chapter for a while because honestly I have no idea what to write next for this book.

Saying that, I'll gladly take ideas to help me come up with something or what direction to bring the book in.

-ky❤️