RACE 2 - Max Verstappen

31

After the debrief Daniella made her way to her car, she was tired and wanted nothing more to get under the shower and then get a few hours of sleep. Myra was following her to the car, talking about some media responsibilities.

"Can't we talk about all this later?" Daniella groaned and slightly pouted. "I am exhausted and.."

"No, because you need to post these photos now," Myra replied. "And I know you very well Dani, once you will get to your room you will go straight to sleep."

"I will post these, I promise," Daniella assured her PR manager. "Now, please drive me to the hotel," she handed the car keys to Myra.

"Ughh! Fine," Myra gave in and unlocked the car. "But why can't you just drive to the hotel like the other drivers?" she complained.

"Because she is lazy," Max joined before Daniella could reply.

"I am not," Daniella objected. "I am just exhausted after the race and don't want to drive now."

"Lazy," Max teased her before he got in his car.

"I hate him sometimes," Daniella complained as she and Myra got in their car.

"yeah..no one believes that," Myra said as she started driving.

***

After a relaxing shower, Daniella directly jumped on her bed, ready to get a few hours of sleep before catching her flight back home. She totally forgot what she promised to Myra and only remembered it when she unlocked her phone to set up the alarm to wake up early. A warning text from Myra is all it took to get her to post the photos.

After posting she swiped through her own recent post. The first one was a photo of her on the podium with the trophy, she looks tired but happy. The second one was with the entire team, the third one was of the entire podium where she was saying something and both Max and Carlos were looking at her. The caption attached to it was of how she is grateful that the team worked hard and they managed to get the podium, congratulating Max and Carlos.

She chuckled when Max commented immediately, not two minutes after she posted. Soon Carlos commented as well, talking about their battle for second place, followed by some other drivers.

She also scrolled down, liking and commenting on some photos of her fellow drivers, already wasting half an hour of her precious time to sleep. When she skipped through the stories she was surprised to find that Max posted a short video of them hugging right after the race ended. Daniella rewatch it multiple times, the entire time a smile was present on her face. She soon shared the video in her stories before finally deciding to put her phone down and go to sleep.

Neither Mercedes nor the Red Bull bosses were happy with their drivers' friendship.

***

"Do you know if something is going on between Daniella and Max?" Carlos asked his teammate as he glared at the video Daniella shared from Max's account.

"They are just good friends as far as I am concerned," Charles replied as he came and stood behind Carlos, watching the video.

Carlos noticed Charles and immediately put down his phone.

"Are you jealous?" Charles teased his teammate.

"No..maybe," Carlos clenched his jaw. "Yes."

"Look mate, as far as I know, they are just friends but if something is going on between them that is even remotely more than just friendship then she will always pick him over anyone else," Charles said. "So if you really like her then you better make your move fast."

Carlos thought for a few seconds, a serious look on his face as he nodded. He looked at Charles, for a second he thought about asking for his help but then he remembered how poorly he helped Pierre, and the next option is Lando who barely knows how to talk to a girl even though he is a very good friend of Daniella.

He let out a tired sigh as he stood up, making up his mind to work alone to try to get the girl he so much likes.

"If you want my help then..."

"No," Carlos smirked. "I can manage on my own."  

**********

A/N: short and boring chapter. i struggle to write when its not race weekend.

What do you think Carlos will do?

And so far Max and Dani are just friends, I wonder if they are ever going to be something more. But I guess it will be fun to see Max stuck in a one sided love and not knowing what to do.

Have you guys watched the second season of Bridgerton? I did and I loved it. Which made me imagine a Bridgerton AU where Daniella is a debutante and Carlos tried to court her maybe ;)....or it could be Max instead of Carlos... I feel like Carlos would be someone from a high aristocrat family and he spares no expense to impress Daniella, while Max is probably Dani's friend who is, maybe its sort of like a forbidden friendship and she is stuck between the two ;)