project fd || max verstappen

.01

claire's pov - January 2nd, 2023

walking through the cemetery always gave me an off feeling that i was being being watched, though i assumed it was that way for most people. i gripped the flowers tightly as i neared my fathers grave and took in a deep breath. i stopped at the marble gravestone that read the name 'Dylan Pari' across it. below his name said, 'Beloved father, husband and son.'

it had been a year since my father killed himself and with each day i regretted hating him just a little bit more. i placed the flowers down nicely unlike last year when i threw a photo frame contain a picture of the two of us at the stone and spat on his grave. 

he would've been forty-four this year if i simply had've forgiven him for what he put me through growing up, but instead i chose to exclude him from my life. i never called him, never texted, always threw away his gifts and sent back every cent him sent me. now i regret it all and cry every time i see a reminder of him.

i  sat by the stone and pulled out some paper documents from my bag carefully unfolding them as i showed the air around me hoping my father was looking down at me. "see, i changed my name back to pari-banks for your birthday. i also changed my number from 88 to 2, for you." i said aloud with a bitter smile.

i let out a shaky pent up breath as i placed the paperwork back into my bag and over looked the foggy graveyard. my head fell into my lap as i let the tears fall down my cheeks while stayed silent taking in the eery feeling of being watched hoping it was my father forgiving me for how i treated him.

after about half hour the tears stopped and i was able to bring myself up to my feet while looking down. i heard voices coming from my left and looked over to see my aunt coming my way, so i took the opportunity to quickly walk away wiping away the remaining tears from my cheeks. 

i opened the door to my lilly's car and threw my bag in as she gave me a semi smile. lilly often drove me places as i failed my past four driving test, i was just grateful she offered to take me today and wait as long as she had to for me to come back to the car. 

i threw my seatbelt over my shoulder and buckled in staying quiet as lilly started up the car and reversed out of the parking spot we were in. once we hit the road lilly turned the radio up as we drove back to our apartment.

i stared out the window the entire trip simply letting my tears slowly slide down my cheeks and lilly stayed quiet knowing i didn't really want to talk at the moment. once we pulled into our apartment parking i thanked lilly for driving me while walking up the stairs. lilly stopped and explained she left something in the car as she ran down the stairs while i kept going pulling my keys from my pocket.

as i opened the door i quickly made my way to my room while clutching my bag tightly fighting my tears with everything in me. i slammed my door behind me closed while throwing my bag across my room and kicking my desk with everything in me.

a throb ran up my foot as i cursed loudly before hearing my bedroom door fly open. when i spun around i saw my boyfriend, noah, making his way over to me. once he reached me his arms wrapped around me. "claire, it's okay. calm down, you're okay," she softly said, his british accent thick against my dutch and australian mixed one.  

i burried my head into his neck and took in a deep breath on his cologne. as i let the breath out he loosened his grip on me and i wrapped my arms around his neck holding him close to me. i loved noah with every small inch of my heart. when i first began regretting my choices in hating my father noah saw my heart shatter, and was the person who put it back together piece by piece, most times giving me parts of his own heart when mine was too far gone.

a year later and he knows he hasn't finished so he continues to stand by and help me no matter how hard i attempt to push him away, he refused to leave. even when i broke up with him multiple times, he refused to leave and slept on the sofa. i hated him at times, but that hate was overcome by love as he continuously proved himself to me. he proved he wouldn't leave.

noah's hands ran up and down my back as he calmed my sobs into simple falling tears. once i had myself under control i pulled back from him and placed a simple kiss on his lips. noah rubbed his nose against mine as he pulled me into another hug. "how did it go?" he asked as he pulled me back keeping his hands on my waist.

i nodded and sniffed my nose. "i'm officially claire pari-banks again. and my number was officially changed to number two after logan agreed to changing his," i explained slowly walking across my bedroom to my bed.

i grabbed my bag and brought out the paper work before showing noah as he smiled. "your father would be so proud claire," he whispered as he placed some lingering kisses on my neck. i wrapped my hand around his neck as he pulled himself away. i looked at noah and he smiled. he always smiled when he looked at me. "you're the prettiest girl i know. even when you're sad."

i pressed his nose with my finger and winked. "i know i am," i replied.

noah and i have been together for almost four years now, and i truely believed we would be together forever as we connected in a way i never imagined having with anyone else. lilly always said we were the relationship everyone wished for in high school, and i knew we were. although we were on and off most of twelfth grade, everyone still wanted what we had. they wanted our connection.

lilly claimed she had a strong feeling that noah was going to propose to me on my birthday this year, and i had a feeling she was right. in the last two months he's been heavily hinting at it. last week he asked me, 'if you were to get proposed to, where would your dream setting me?'

i told him a beach with white sand and he nodded saying he was just wondering. i would love for noah to propose to me. i was ready to spend the rest of my life with his as i knew i wouldn't feel this way for anyone else. i knew from the way we looked at each other we were something that was going to last. forever.