TRAILBLAZER | M.VERSTAPPEN

11

I look down at the note for a few minutes and find myself smiling, he found a way to congratulate me in such a sincere way without having to talk to me. He has somehow found a way to respect my wishes while still managing to congratulate me. I mentally slap myself as I realize how much I am smiling...but I can't help it, he brought me flowers, my favorite flowers. However, it was just him being nice, just trying to do the right thing and congratulate me.

I needed to thank him, this time not in dramatic fashion like the last time I had to. Max had found a way to communicate with me, so I was going to use that same way. I quickly grab one of the complimentary hotel notepads and scribble out a quick message to him.

Thank you for the flowers Max, they're beautiful and my favourite which is a bonus. Well done on winning the race today.

-M.D

I quickly messaged Danny, who was out with the others, to try to find out which room was Max's. I was expecting a quick message from him telling me the exact floor and room but was surprised when he rang me.

"The fuck you going to Max's room for Fucker?!" Danny yells over the phone.

I could hardly hear him over the loud music.

"Ugh it's not what it appears like Daniel I just need to drop something off to him" I reply

"Like what?"

"Like a note"

"A note you say?"

I could hear him smirking from through the phone the tone of his voice suggestive.

"Yes Danny a note, like I'm back in school, nothing more nothing less, now enough questions"

"Okay okay fine Fucker, just know, ill still fight Max if you need me to, regardless that he's one of my mates...i know he hasn't exactly been sticking to your agreement"

"Noted Danny"

"Okay well his room is on level 3 room 42"

I thank him and hang up the phone before grabbing the note and exiting my room to go to Max.

As I rode the elevator down a few levels I felt slightly nervous,

"It's fine just a quick stop, drop, and go, there are no cameras, no media, nothing they can make a story on" I whisper trying to convince myself that everything will be okay.

The elevator doors ding open and I walk the hall finding Max's room. Once I found it I stood outside slightly contemplating whether this truly was a good idea. I was suddenly snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a noise from inside his hotel room. I quickly dropped the note, knocked on the door, and ran like I was the one playing ding-dong-ditch.

When I was back in my hotel room I finally felt safe trying to forget the childish note-passing I was doing with Max, but at the end of the day if this was the only way we could communicate then this is how we would do it.

I sat on my hotel couch watching TV, I checked my phone to find that it was already 11:30 pm. I got up off the couch and headed to the bathroom to begin getting ready for bed. A knock at the door stopped me in my tracks, was it Max?

I run over to the floor and peer through the peephole again to see a faint note sitting on the ground again. I quickly opened the door and grabbed it, looking down the hall I saw a flash of what was presumably Max as they rounded the corner out of sight. I close the door behind me and open up the note:

You're more than welcome Maeve, I knew they were your favorite.

-M.V

I paused in my steps, he knew they were my favorite. How? I didn't know whether to feel happy or feel weirded out. Instead of worrying about it, I decided to leave the note on the bench and go to bed.

I went to bed smiling knowing the day I had, I went over the events of the day rolling over in excitement every time I remembered the awesome overtake I did or the defending I was able to do. As I thought about the flowers I also found myself rolling over and smiling, it was embarrassing and weak. He was a good friend, I just wish I was able to publicly and without any excuses, get to know him.

🏁🏎️

I flew from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia on Monday in preparation for today's media day. I entered the paddock and walked towards the team area, walking a lot more confidently than I had a week earlier. I greet a few people along my walk and run into Mick who walks with me down to our hospitality area which was stationed next to each other.

While walking I see him walking towards me. I hadn't spoken to him...or rather written to him since that night in Bahrain. As he walks past me he doesn't acknowledge me or even look at me but nods to Mick. At first, I felt slightly hurt but when I heard a camera ahead of Mick and I take a photo of us walking it came back to me the shitty situation that we were both put in.

Enemies in public, possibly friends in secret?

I sit in hospitality leaning back on my chair and staring at the roof, waiting for Daniel to turn up so we could begin doing whatever the media team had planned for us.

"Nutsack" is all I hear being said as Danny enters the room with his Pr manager, I didn't even need to see him to know that a word like that would only come out of his mouth.

I place my seat back down on all fours and watch as he enters the room,

"Morning Fucker" He sing-songs

"Morning Dickwad" I reply.

🏁🏎️

I got back to my hotel room that night after what was an interesting day of a lie detector test with Daniel in the name of 'public relations', although being a grown adult it was fun. It felt like I was a kid again, something that I never really ever got to be. I round the corner to my room to find a note on the floor. The notes were back. I quickly rush into my room and open it:

Do you want to know how I knew they were your favorite flower?

-M.V

Yes, I most definitely did want to know how he knew, it was something bugging me for the last week. I quickly scribbled back on the note, this time the note had his room number on it, he was prepared for a conversation this time.

I walk out of my room and down the corridor quickly finding his room. I place the note down and knock on his door, just as I am going to walk away back to my room the door opens. I quickly turned around and saw Max standing there in plaid pajama pants and a white top that seemed a little too small for him.

"Hi," He says.

"Hi"