Formula One - One-Shots Collection - Complete

It's French Thing - Max Verstappen

"Phoebe, you have to do it for me," Pierre begged as we sat in the Red Bull lounge. It was just the two of us, he was holding a box of tissues in one hand and a handful of used tissues in the other. "There is no way I can go out there and race, not today."

"Absolument pas," I refused, my words coming out in French even though the majority of my conversation had been in English. "Mama would kill me."

My brother groaned before sneezing several times into the used tissues, when he looked back up at me I cringed when I saw how ill he actually was. There was snot hanging from his nose and his skin was pale. 

"Fine," I got to my feet as I gave in to my twin brother. "Please don't tell Mama, I'll tell her once it's all over." I looked at my brother for reassurance who nodded at me. 

"Thank you," he told me with a grin. 

I shook my head and narrowed my eyes at him, "You owe me big."

"Name your price."

My eyes looked around the room, I had so many ideas but only one sprung to mind. I returned my gaze back to him, "Introduce me to Max."

"You've met Max," Pierre said flippantly as he relaxed into the sofa he was sitting on. 

I rolled my eyes at his ignorance, "No," I sighed. "I mean really introduce me to Max." I tried to get him to understand what I meant but he just raised an eyebrow as he gave me a confused look. "Pour l'amour de Dieu!" I cried out in frustration, "I would like to go on a date with Max, help me out!"

Pierre's eyes widened, "But you're my sister."

"You better get your suit on," I winked in his direction before I turned away from him heading towards the door. 

"Fine, fine!" He called out as I reached for the door handle. I turned back and looked at my brother who was getting to his feet, "Get me in the points tomorrow and I'll do it."

"Deal," I nodded knowing there was no way I was letting this opportunity slip through my fingers. 

When race day arrived my stomach was knotted with nerves. Qualifying had been easy, it's easier to get a good qualifying time in a good car and when there is no one around. I wasn't going to complain about sitting in the sixth position on the starting line, I just had to keep it now, stay in the points, make my brother proud, get introduced to Max, easy. 

Hopping into the car at the garage I was handed my helmet by my disapproving mother who shook her head at me. "I am not happy," she told me. 

"It's all good mama," I smiled trying to stay positive. I knew why she was nervous, just two weekends ago Pierre had been in an accident on the track, his car hitting the barrier, he was fine, not even a cut or a bruise, just a damaged ego. 

She leaned over and kissed my forehead, "Do not put yourself in danger." She warned before she left me there, she walked away before she could say any more. 

Slipping my headphones into my ears, I adjusted my hair behind my chocolate ears then pulled my helmet over my head. I smiled to myself as I adjusted my visor, this was my lucky helmet from when I was a teenager, the helmet I used to wear when I raced my brother. 

"Can you hear me?" I heard my brother's snivelling voice through the headphones I was wearing. I guess he still hadn't shifted that dreadful cold he was carrying. 

"Fort et clair," I spoke in French to him. "Can you please get off my airways so I can listen to my music now?" I asked him as I laid my head back on the headrest. I had somehow managed to convince Pierre's team to swap my headphones to music when we weren't talking on the radio, I had even conducted a playlist ready for when I was on the road.