LOVE OR RIDE | LESTAPPEN

Chapter thirty-one - the first serious argument

Charles

Yesterday I was angry with Max, and I know I shouldn't have been. When I ran out crying, I was almost in a state of screaming that he was ruining my life again, even though it wasn't true, and then I got the contract that would make me give up on him and I calmed down. Suddenly I wanted to drop everything and run to him to apologize and beg on my knees not to sign it. I took a risk, feeling that he loved me and would definitely not choose Formula, after all he promised me. I made a fool of myself by calling everyone at Ferrari, and eventually, when I was done yelling, they stated that they didn't want me to leave because this contract was a FiA extortion and they wanted to help me somehow and preferred to wait until I calmed down instead of interrupting me. I knew people would find out at some point, because we weren't particularly careful with what we showed outside, but seriously? A fucking elevator?

"Max, eat something." I said quietly, slipping the plate of food I had prepared in his direction. Since we entered the dining room, the loud conversations have quieted down, everyone is whispering, and I nonstop feel someone's gaze on me, as if we were monuments in a museum. I know they probably have some kind of ban, because Max and I are suspended until the case is solved and we can't even sit in the fucking garage.

I'm worried because the boy has gone quiet since yesterday. He didn't eat dinner or lunch because he decided he wasn't hungry. Now he is also immersed in his thoughts, and only when I speak to him does he come back to reality, glancing absently in my direction. I know it's hard for him when his father behaves this way and not the other way, and on top of that our friends have started to avoid us, which I won't say, it hurts me too, but I realize that Max is more affected by it. After all, he and Daniel have been almost brothers for a long time, and he would probably want to talk to him, not me.

"I'm not hungry, Charles." He pushes the plate away again.

"You need to eat something." I add, looking at him carefully. I don't know how much I look at him like that, but he finally softens under my gaze and takes the plate back to himself, beginning to reluctantly scoop the pasta onto his fork. "If you feel unwell here, we can go back to the room."

"That's not the point, Charlie." He sighs, putting the fork aside and wipes his face with his hand. "When I approached Daniel today while you were preparing the food, he acted as if he didn't know me." I bite the inside of my cheek, looking at him sadly. I know how much Daniel means to him and I feel like strangling him for leaving Max in such a terrible situation "And he wrote this." He takes it out of his pocket and pulls it toward me.

"Unlock." I say as he hands me the smartphone in his hand.

"The date of your birthday." he mumbles, returning to his food. I hold my breath, glancing at his face, and notice an almost invisible smile.

"Since when do you have such a password?" I ask surprised, unlocking the phone.

"I don't know, since we reconciled." He shrugs his shoulders.

From: Daniel
Don't come near me again.

I furrow my eyebrows, reading this message several times. As I lift my gaze to Max, the boy finishes eating his pasta, which makes me feel better, but him not so much, so my perfect plan pops into my head.

"I'm taking you out for the day." I say, handing him the phone. He looks at me confused as I smile, like a fool. "And we can take P if you want." I add, knowing that her presence will also improve his mood, and I like this girl, so I have no problem with that.

"What are you making up?" he asks curiously, and I pretend to zip my mouth and shrug my shoulders, getting up from the table.

On the way to my room, where we both have all our stuff and Max's room is empty and neither of us has been in it once, the boy calls Kelly, who came with P to the race. As we enter the floor, Pierre is standing at the door waiting for us. I furrow my eyebrows as I walk up to him, and he puts the phone in his pocket, smiling.