Eight photos from the past which history is darker than the night

Chapter 8

Pierre's sitting at the table and eating his breakfast when Max enters the kitchen. He's talking with someone on phone in German. It has to be Mick, Pierre thinks.

"Hi Pierre" Max says.

It surprises Frenchman a bit. He thought his friend won't want talk with him after that.

"Erm... hi, I made a breakfast, do you want to join?"

Max smiles.

"Of course!"

No way nothing's gonna happened.

Max sits opposite Pierre. He's still on phone with someone and with one hand he puts a plate ahead of himself and brings himself scrambled eggs made by Pierre.

"Ich muss gehen, kleiner Bruder. Ich frühstücke. Nein, Pierre hat sie gemacht. Ja, ich weiß. Ich rufe dich später an. Tschüss, tschüss."

Max puts his phone on the table and starts eating. Pierre's looking at him carefully.

"It's very good!" he says. "Thank you."

Pierre just smiles.

"Why are you staring at me?" Max asks after a few seconds.

Then Pierre realizes he was staring at Max since he entered the kitchen. He's fucked.

"Erm... I just... I'm just still thinking about yesterday."

Congratulations Pierre, award for the biggest idiot in the world is yours.

The smile disappears from Max's face.

"Forget about it. It... it wasn't true. I just... it's not true, I lied to you, okey? Forget it."

Pierre doesn't expect reaction like that. Of course he knows Max didn't lie to him. He knows it was just the way he wants to deal with it.

"Max, stop" Pierre says decisively. "I know you didn't lie to me. And I understand how difficult it had to be for you to tell me that. And I really appreciate you decided to tell me that. I know that somehow I forced you to do it, but... please Max, understand that, sometimes it's good to talk. And it's good to have people around you who know what's going on. Who can help you if you will need that."

Max is listening to him with his head lowered.

"And I want to tell you that I'll be here if you would need to talk to someone. Always."

The Dutchman looks up at him. He has tears in his eyes.

"You promise?" he asks quietly.

"I promise" Pierre smiles a little.

"And you promise you will never ever tell anyone about what I told you?

"I promise."

Small smile appears on Max's face.

"I like you, Pierre. You're a good friend. You always have been. Thank you. And maybe you're right. Maybe sometimes it's good to talk. But... I want to let you know I don't like talk about it."

"I understand. I guess it has to be difficult. I'll not say I can imagine, because I never was in such situations, but I guess."

"Thank you for not saying you can imagine. I hate it."

They finishes the breakfast in silence.

"So what? Are you ready to be destroyed in Fifa?" Max asks.

Pierre laughs and puts his arm around him when they stand up. Max Verstappen now really trusts him. And he knows he can't let him down.

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*Ich muss gehen, kleiner Bruder. Ich frühstücke. Nein, Pierre hat sie gemacht. Ja, ich weiß. Ich rufe dich später an. Tschüss, tschüss- I have to go, little brother. I have a breakfast. No, Pierre did it. Yes, I know. I'll call you later. Bye, bye.