project fd || max verstappen

.08

max's pov - March 7th, 2023

"morning sunshine," i said as claire finally opened her eyes.

over night i came in to visit her but she was asleep, so i felt like i had to wait until morning. i also did so, as lilly and charles needed some rest and certainly a shower. i tried sleeping but the chair i was in was far too uncomfortable and the sounds were constant.

claire's eyes flew opened in shock as she readjusted herself in the cramped hospital bed. "what happened? why are you here?" she asked her eyes darting around the room.

"people were worried that when you passed out you wouldn't wake up," i began ignoring her questions. "you have a concussion and were transported to hospital after you weren't waking up. but now that your awake, i can finally leave."

claire sat in silence as i sent a quick message to charles letting him know she was awake and i was leaving. "wait," claire said softly while rubbing her eyes. "please don't," she begged, but she seemed genuinely worried about something.

i looked down at my phone at see charles had read the message. "are you okay?" i asked while my phone dinged.

"just please. until someone else gets here, anyone else." she begged pulling the blanket over half of her face. "please max."

i nodded while taking a seat again and opened charles message.

charles leclerc

charles; i'll just take a shower and pick up lilly.

me; she isn't letting me leave man. it's like she's scared of something in here.

charles; look, as a kid she had some trauma unfold in a hospital.

me; so i just stay here with her until you get here?

charles; noah may get there before us, if you just wait until then.

me; noah?

charles; her boyfriend.

me; right.

i turned my phone off and sighed. i really did not want to meet this person. from what i've heard he seems annoying. plus what if he knows about me and claire's deal? i'm almost positive that he'd like to punch me in the gut right now.

"charles said your boyfriend might be here soon," i said rolling my eyes and looking down at the ground. "does he know about our deal?"

i looked up at claire to see her shake her head without looking at me. "can you not tell him?" she asked looking up the tube coming from her arm. "and get this thing out of me," she demanded while tugging on the iv drip.

"woah woah, don't do that," i said calmly before she quiet literally ripped it from her arm. "claire!" i shouted as a passing nurse popped her head in the room to see the iv drip in claire's shaking hand.

the nurse rushed into the room taking the tube from her hand as claire tried to stand up. "i need air. please, i, i-" claire began stuttering and her heart rate sky rocketed. once claire was on her feet i rushed beside her as she seemed off balance. her breathing was very unsteady and she was on the verge of tears.

"daring, i need you to calm down and take a seat," the nurse said approaching claire. claire shook her head stepping back causing us to fall into the wall. i brought her to the ground slowly as the nurse followed her holding her head. "get away! please just get away from me!"

i trapped claire's arms under mine as the nurse took a deep breath. "do you have any idea what this could be about young man?" she asked me as i looked down at claire.

"someone told me she has some sort of trauma with a hospital. maybe a panic attack?" i suggested as claire stopped shaking so much and was gripping at her chest.

"bug?" i heard someone ask from the door. i looked up and saw a short dark skinned person standing there with flowers. "move," he said as i jerked away from him. "i'm her boyfriend, so move!"

i looked down at claire and she had her eyes squeezed shut as i let her go and gave her over to noah. claire quickly wrapped her arms around him and i left the room closing the door behind me.

i pressed my head to the wall behind me and slid down slowly squeezing the bridge of my nose. i should go home, but for the weirdest reason i want to make sure she was okay. i placed my head in my knees and waited patiently until i heard someone step outside the room. looking up i was greeted by the nurse who sighed.

"is she okay?" i asked getting to my feet.

"she is fine, but boy you need to check yourself," she said pointing at me with her clipboard as i frowned. "she has a boyfriend that she seems happy with. don't go putting yourself in the middle of them."

i couldn't help but smirk and say, "your joking right? i quite literally hate her as she hates me. its very mutual."

the lady, who seemed in her mid forties, placed on hand on her hip. "why did you wait then?"

"too make sure she was okay. she just had a full melt down, of course i would wait to make sure she's okay."

"if you want the girl, you can't have the girl," were the last things she said before walking off.

while looking after her, i noticed charles and lilly marching down the hall. "okay look, before you go in she just had this massive melt down. noah's in the at the moment, but i'm sure she'd still be sensitive," i explained as charles bolted into the room while lilly calmly walked in.

i went to follow but lilly stopped me with her hand. "no, you can wait here."

"what?" i asked confused looking down at lilly's palm on my chest.

"i let you stay overnight knowing she would wake up freaking out, and i needed too sleep. now you can go," she said as i looked up at her messy hair and noticed she was wearing the same clothes as yesterday. "what are you staring at?"

i took a step back with a smirk said, "messy oily hair and the same clothes as yesterday?" i pointed out as lilly's face completely changed and she drew her hand to her side. "you didn't even go to your hotel last night."

"yes i did. i just passed out once i got home," she tried to say though her sentence was bumpy and was clearly a lie.

i laughed before pushing past her frozen statue into claire's room. charles had a change of clothes but clearly never showered, so i put the puzzle together in my mind. "thanks for staying over night," noah instantly said as i walked in shaking my hand.

my eyes met claire's but she instantly looked away. i was much taller than noah, meaning he must have been roughly claire's height. "yeah no problem," i smiled down at him as lilly burst through the doors.

lilly rushed down to claire's side and hugged her tightly. "hey look, do you guys mind if i just have a word with max?" claire asked.

everyone shuffled out until it was just her and me in the room. i stood at the end of her bed with my back turned to her. "are you okay, claire?" i asked slowly turning to her.

"i'm sorry." the words made me frown and shake my head. "i didn't mean for you to see any of that, and i'm sorry you had to."

"your boyfriends really short," i stated trying to lighten the mood. though that didn't work as claire  rolled her eyes. "don't apologise for it. i doubt you could've stopped it, so there is no need to feel sorry or bad. anyway, i'm going to head off now."

claire nodded looking down at her hands. i left the feeling as if something was off, but i couldn't tell what.

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a/n: oml i'm going away at the end of the this week for THE WHOLE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL HOLIDAYS (9 days 😭) . so i mayy not be able to upload bc i'm literally going to the middle of no where