project fd || max verstappen

.15

claire's pov - March 20th, 2023

i listened for the waves and they crashes against the shore. i looked up at the starry night sky. i was just missing the person i felt safe with. i took in a deep breath as the salty air filled my lungs and slowly let go.

"i'll catch up, max. since you want to be home so fast," i said, not turning to face him. i knew he was behind me even though he hadn't said anything. his presence was something quiet hard to miss as it filled the area with tension.

i heard max scoff as i turned to face him. "okay then. but i need my glasses," he said while removing them from my head and walking off up the hill. i turned back to the beach and sat in front of his car while running my hands though the rocks on the ground.

it was such a clear and beautiful night tonight. the sounds of the wind mixing with the waves just made things so much better. though as it got later it also got colder, and i began to shiver. i went to reach for my phone to check the time then realised i didn't have it. "shit."

i got up and ran my hand along max's car while looking up the hill i had to climb. his car was a ferrari 488 pista. a classic ferrari red colour red as well which made it absolutely amazing to look at. i took a last look at the car before i began climbing the stairs. while doing so i realised how tired and cold i actually was, as i was struggling insanely.

after what felt like forever i made it to the top and took in a deep breath looking at the beach from a higher angle. "took you long enough," i heard a male voice say from behind me as i quickly spun around.

i saw max standing there holding his redbull jacket out to me. "what the fuck are you doing here?" i asked while crossing my arms, trying to stop myself from shivering.

"you didn't actually think i'd just leave you there, did you?" he asked while taking a few steps closer. "i waited at the bottom of the hill, saw you were cold and took my jacket while i was about to give it to you. then i saw you coming up, so i thought i'd just meet you up here."

by the time he finished his sentence, he was behind me wrapping the jacket around my shoulders and adjusting it. "you waited? but i was down there for a while." i said pulling my arms through the sleeves.

"almost three hours, i know," he pulled out his phone and showed me the time. it was almost four in the morning. he waited three hours for me? "come on, lets get to the hotel. i've received about a million missed calls from charles and noah."

i noticed then whenever he said noah's name, there was always a taint of distaste on it. "can i please call charles?" i asked nicely.

max looked at me while getting his phone from his pocket and handing it to me. i found charles contact and called it, bringing it to my ear while it rang. once he picked up i was expecting him to yell at max for not answering, but instead he waited. "charles? it's me claire."

"jesus claire. i was waiting for max to inform me you two had been caught up in that accident on the freeway," charles sounded relieved i was okay, max too.

i just laughed and looked at max, but he was already looking at me. "no, max just got lost on some dirt roads and we lost reception. sorry about the scare. anyway, we are heading home now."

charles said he would let noah know and i said goodbye before handing the phone back to max. my fingers grazed max's while he took the phone and i realised how cold he was. "jeez max, you freezing. here take this," i tried offering him the jacket but he just pulled it back over my shoulder.

"please, i'd rather you have it then me. my mother raised a man, not a boy."

"why wait?" i asked, no being able to stop myself.

max looked at me and then back at the ground. "i'm not leaving you out this late alone."

"three hours?"

"almost three, actually," he justified.

"why." it was more a demand rather a question now.

max looked at me. right at me actually and said in a kind but defensive tone, "is it so bad that i actually care about you, or your safety?"

i shrugged. i looked back down at my feet, and noticed max and i were walking in sync. "i thought you didn't like me. you told me that," i tried to say but was cut of by max stopping in the middle of the path.

"what i said was stupid. ignore it. all of it. i was trying to give you a reason to fight, but clearly it's just backfired majorly. you have pure talent, looking back on your f3 races, it's insane the moves you pull and manage to come out unharmed. i don't even think i, max verstappen, could pull some of those off. so stop being so insecure and don't be scared to just get in there."

i stared at my feet not looking up, and just seeing my vision go blurry. a single tear fell right onto my shoe as i looked forward, my back still facing max. no one understands what it's like to have words like that said to them by their racing hero until they actually say them.

a gust of wind filled the air and i turned to face max. "thank you." was all i said.

another tear slipped down my cheek and max stepped closer, wiping it away softly. i took his hand and stopped it from doing anything else.

he nodded and put the sunglasses back on my head with a smirk. "you'll need these. the hotel is right there," he pointed to a massive hotel as i sighed. i wasn't looking forward to facing noah tonight. i knew he was going to want to talk about everything, which is what i didn't want to do.