In the Spotlight (Max Verstappen - Book Two)

Chapter Twenty-Six

After a quick shower and getting dressed into clothes better suited to travelling than going out, Christian's words kept on spinning through my head as I thought about the potential reactions from people if it leaked that we were dating and so I sat down on the balcony of my room as I waited for the time to tick by until Max and I caught our flight and did one of the things I probably shouldn't do.

I googled Max and my name next to each other to see what would come up and boy was there a lot.

Elodie Carter takes second strong finish over teammate Max Verstappen. Week four of the Formula One season breakdown.

Elodie Carter and Max Verstappen 2:2, the strongest pairing on the grid?

Is Elodie Carter more consistent than Max Verstappen?

Max Verstappen is hit with bad luck as Elodie Carter takes her fourth podium of the season

Fans convinced Elodie Carter and Teammate Max Verstappen are dating? Evidence...

I smiled at the first few stories, noticing how they were focused on the racing, the last one made me falter but I wasn't surprised. People had been speculating about me and every driver, but I still couldn't help but tap on the final article, to see what evidence they had.

Fortunately, I quickly realised it was clickbait, largely just images of Max and I smiling at one another with a body language expert claiming we had been sleeping together since Monaco last year to my amusement. But there was other stuff, rumours about Max looking after me while I was ill, complimentary comments we had made towards one another in the press, photos from the night out in Australia last week and also Shanghai last night. I exit the page, after a quick scan of the fan comments, most saying they hoped it was true but a couple doing as expected.

User 1: This explains why Max is letting her win, she's getting a position in exchange for sexual favours.

User 2: Wow, suddenly makes sense how she got her place in the team. Checo was right after all.

I groan as I see both those comments, reporting them quickly for being offensive before exiting the page and scrolling down a few more before exiting google and checking Instagram, similarly clicking on a fan account that shipped us to see what the comments were like.

To be honest, they were overwhelmingly positive, I guess it makes sense seeing that it's a fan account, but most of them couldn't get over the pinky promise we were caught doing before three out of the four races this season as well as the ones of us outside the club from Australia including a fan taken photograph from where we were stood outside waiting for taxi's that showed how Max had his arm protectively around me and I cursed myself for forgetting about the regular people that were waiting, I had been so focused on the paparazzi.

User 1: They are so freaking cute together! Power couple!

User 2: They seem like the perfect pair! Different yet similar so they complement and challenge each other! I would love it if it was true.

User 3: Couple goals, I wish someone would look at me the way he looks at her! I die omg.

Chewing on my lip as I read through the comments I felt my emotions fluctuate, but I could definitely see what people meant, we were a rather cute couple and I felt my heart flutter at some of the candid shots people had taken of when we were staring at each other. I hated how vulnerable I looked but when I saw Max mirroring my expressions I felt confident that this could work.

I could take it from people online, especially because I rarely looked at this sort of thing. It wasn't an issue for me. The only issue I would have is if I were challenged in a professional setting on it, by a reporter in a press conference or another driver, both current and former. That's the criticism I would struggle with.