ELYSE's POV
I splashed some water on my face and left the bathroom. I certainly wasn't going to sit around, sulking. Instead, I'd start my revenge plan.
I hope Max enjoys the taste of his own medicine.
Everyone shifted onto the dance-floor when 'Call out my name' by The Weeknd started to play.
Lewis grabbed my hand and we started dancing to the song in sync, all while screaming the lyrics. The only difference was I fixated my eyes to stare into Max's soul, who was eyeing me the whole time. I didn't even feel bad for Kelly anymore, I can't believe I was stressing over how she feels when she was clearly in on everything too.
I pushed my thoughts aside as the next verse came on.
I said I didn't feel nothing baby, but I lied
I almost cut a piece of myself for your life
Guess I was just another pit stop
'Til you made up your mind
You just wasted my time
I lip-synced the words to him, though I think he didn't fully understand that the lyrics said everything I never could. I diverted my eyes from where he sat and turned my back to him, not wanting to face him anymore. Before I knew it, Daniel was shoving shots in everyone's hands as confetti fell from the ceiling.
The rest of the night was a haze until we got back and I found myself in my bedroom's balcony reminiscing over the kiss for the millionth time since it happened.
I heard my room door open and close. No knocks or anything. I turned around to see who it was, and to my luck, it was Max.
I sighed, not wanting him to know I've caught on to his plans.
"What are you doing in my room, Max?" I asked him, softly. Considering how wasted he looked.
"I wanted to see you." he slurred.
"Uh— why?"
He stepped into the balcony with me, "You were so gorgeous tonight. And I wanted to see you in this pretty dress of yours for the last time today." he stared at me, my dress and lips before starting to walk back out. "That's all, goodnight Elyse."
I didn't allow him to leave, instead I grabbed his wrists, pulling him towards me and I wasted no time in colliding our lips together.
An electric feeling buzzed through my veins. It was a mix of adrenaline and something else, though I couldn't put my hand on it. It wasn't like anything I've ever felt before— not even after winning a race, or a championship. It was new, foreign, exhilarating.
Despite the fact that I was only doing this to get back at him, make him have a taste of his own medicine— a part of me I preferred to hide underneath everything else was secretly enjoying this a little too much and I was starting to doubt if this plan was a good idea. But, I chose to avoid thinking about this, focusing on what was ahead of me right now.
Max's lips.
It was clear he was taken aback, but was evidently enjoying this as much as I was— maybe even more. His tongue traced the outline of my lips, making me stop breathing. After noticing this, "You're unlike anything I've ever seen." he whispered, immediately getting back to kissing me, restricting me from answering him.
I hadn't even realized it till now, but now it was Max in control despite being the one who initiated contact first.
Our soft and gentle kisses turned into something more extreme— hungry and desperate. My back was now against the wall, and my hands were placed on Max's chest as support.
A bite on my lower lip made me release a sound I never thought would come out of my mouth. A moan. I pulled away, looking at him with wide eyes while he gaped at me with a smirk, as if he was proud of what he managed to do to me.
My phone ringing snapped us both out of the trance we were lost in.
"Go. Before anyone sees you." I nodded my head towards the door and he obliged, leaving the room much more sober and happier than he was entering.
As soon as the door was shut, I threw myself hopelessly on my bed, hoping it would swallow me and make me disappear from existence.
Rolling over, the plain box Max gifted me was sitting on my vanity, untouched. I got up, held the box as I contemplated whether I should open the box or not. Before ultimately throwing the box into a random drawer, where I could forget all about him and his stupidly sweet gestures.
My racing heart only told me one thing. I was fucked.
THE NEXT DAY...
I decided to go to the private gym in the basement and work our after it hit 5AM and I still laid awake in bed. All after taking a cold shower, of course.
I chose to wear a Nike sports bra along with bike shorts. I put on my sports shoes and didn't bother to tie the laces since I never bothered to learn how considering Lewis or Carlos always tied them for me.
I took my mat and other extra gym equipment with me just incase and once I got there I started doing the routine my PT had organized for me today. It was a rather vigorous one and I was wondering where the hell Lando was when I needed him.
Anyways, I spent the next two hours training and I even finished the routine I was supposed to do for the day, continuing to work out some more until I dropped myself on the floor, face first, deciding to rest and catch my breath.
Apparently I never learn from 'resting', since I was rudely woken up by two dumbbells crashing on the floor. I jolted up, finding Max in a tight shirt and his swim trunks.
"Did I wake you up?" He smugly asked, as if he meant to drop the dumbbells that loud.
I groaned, not bothering to answer him as I started to get up and nearly tripped over my untied laces. I cursed the laces as I rolled my mat.
"Damn, what did the poor lace do? Can't you tie it?" he asked and I shook my head no, placing the mat in it's cover. "Come here."
I glanced at him, with furrowed eyebrows. "Come here, I'll tie them for you. Unless you want to trip again."
I huffed and walked towards where he was and watched him as he kneeled down and slowly tied the laces, delicately touching the back of my knees, as if he needed it for balance. And I knew he was doing it on purpose since neither Lewis or Carlos ever had to do that before.
"Could you stop touching me?" I asked him, irritated. I didn't really mean to snap, I just really wanted to sleep.
"Yesterday Elyse would beg to differ." he chuckled and I rolled my eyes. Finally, both laces were tied and as I was brushing past him, I put a hand on the visible part of his biceps as a half-assed thank you and watched as all the hairs on his arms rose, goosebumps littering his whole body.
I left the gym, feeling satisfied. Guess it wasn't just him who had this effect on me. Good to know.
After taking another refreshing shower, I sipped on some caffeine settling on skipping sleep for the day. Just three more days and people would start flying back to their homes before the start of the second half of the season, so I wanted to make the most of our time together for the last time.
I put on my swimsuit and joined the girls' photo session. I even took some pictures and videos on my camera. We all started running to the beach when Lando screamed, "Last one there is a rotten egg."
MAX's POV
I watched as everyone started running towards the beach. I ended up being the rotten egg, per Lando's declaration, since I couldn't bother to run when I just finished working out, not to mention it was a leg day. I didn't even plan on going that early, after another fight with Kelly I decided to head there to clear my mind. To my surprise, Elyse was also there.
After spreading sunscreen on my face, torso and arms, I was pulled into a walk beside the sea by Daniel.
"I want all the juicy details." He demanded.
"Of what?" I asked him, quite confused.
He looked at me as if I was the dumbest person alive, "C'mon, the scandal. I want to know."
Sighing, "There isn't much to know, Daniel."
Immediately, I took a plunge to my stomach, "Don't bullshit me, Verstappen. I'm your best friend, for christ's sake."
"Fine, we kissed." I admitted, watching his eyes slightly widen though he didn't seem surprised, "And made out. Once."
"Was it good? I never envisioned El in a relationship, let alone with you." Daniel joked, I simply rolled my eyes and told him to shut up. "Do you atleast like her?"
"Yeah, she's great." I nodded nonchalantly.
"No, dumbass, I mean actually like her." He asked. I shrugged, not wanting to think too much into it. I had a task, there was no time for side feelings. Obviously, though, I couldn't tell him that.
"Max Emillian Verstappen you did not just shrug to my question. I swear if you ever hurt El you'll have to face my wrath, and trust me— you will regret it." He warned me.
I raised my hands in defeat, "I don't know, okay? I still have a girlfriend, y'know?"
"Oh yeah! What about Kelly?" He asked the important question.
"We're... having problems." I used the same poor excuse.
"Fucking hell, Max. If you're having problems with your girlfriend then solve them, not create more by cheating on her."
I groaned, wiping my hand across my face, "I know, Daniel. I'm still figuring it out."
"You better." A warning finger was stuck in my face and before I could reply with something witty, a panicked scream made us all snap our hands towards the sound.
ELYSE's POV
I watched Daniel and Max as they took a stroll by the waves, talking about something that seemed serious while my mom was busy applying layers and layers on sunscreen over my body, being the protective mother she always has been.
Midway, I noticed she had stopped applying so I turned around and found her looking rather pale and like the life was sucked out of her.
"Ma.. are you okay?" I held her hands as she looked like she was about to faint at any given moment. I received no reply and in a matter of seconds, she dropped to the floor.
I couldn't help but scream, making everyone around us rush towards us and help me shake her awake. Immediately, Charles called an ambulance which arrived in under 2 minutes. They lifted her body onto a stretcher and into the ambulance. I rushed into the ambulance with her before realizing I was half-naked, Carlos grabbed my cover-up dress and hopped into the ambulance, handing it to me.
The medics shut the ambulance door, preventing anyone else from entering the vehicle. I prayed as I held onto my mother's unresponsive hands, hoping for a miracle to happen.
As soon as we arrived to the hospital and my mom was being wheeled into the ER, we were prevented from going any further. The nurses made us wait in the waiting room and I was near having a blowdown by not knowing what was going on.
Carlos clung onto my hand, squeezing it every now and then, somehow reassuring me. A few minutes pass by and nearly everyone has flooded the hospital. People were asking me questions whether I was okay or not but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to answer. Everything was so distorted and it felt like I wasn't in control of myself, like I was watching everything unfold from a third perspective.
I excused myself from the large crowd and walked towards an empty hallway where I attempted to catch my breath, though it seemed that each breath I took made me more breathless.
A hand on my shoulder made me jump, but as my brain registered it was Max in-front of me, I started to calm down immensely.
"El, calm down." He took us into an empty room and sat me on one of the unoccupied beds. Only the sound of monitors beeping and my rapid breathing filled the silence. "Breathe."
I tried to, but every breath felt more and more suffocating. I shook my head as I clutched onto his arms, as a way to tell him I couldn't.
"Xanax." I breathe out.
He shook his head.
"No, you can do it, alone." He took my hand that was on his arms and interlaced it with his, squeezing tightly. "Look at me, do it with me." He deeply inhaled and I copied him— though my inhale was rather staggered, I still did it, then he exhaled and patiently waited for me to do so. I took my time and his thumb caressing my hand was my biggest motivation.
Eventually, after many times of repeating those steps, with him doing it with me as he said, I managed to go back to normal breathing. Though our hands didn't move an inch.
"I'm so scared, Max." I didn't know why I was allowing myself to get all vulnerable around him once again, yet I still managed to let my guard down with him around. "I don't want her gone this soon. The doctors said she still had a couple of more weeks in her, what if this is the end?"
"Woah, woah, woah. What do you mean?" He raised my chin with the tip of his fingers, making me look at him. When he noticed the tears under my eyes, his hand swiped away the tears.
"She told me not to tell anyone. Only a few know—" I gulped as I turned my face away, however Max continued to make me look at him. "A few months ago, the doctors said that her cancer was spreading way too fast and they couldn't do anything about it. And that she had a couple of more months till she'd be gone. But she wasn't even sad about it or anything, she just made peace with it! I'm so mad at the world right now, I keep asking myself one question; why? Just why would the world want to take someone so angelic and caring as her? Why can't the world spare me the one good thing in my life?" I ranted and the warm look on Max's face made me feel judge-free and safe. I just really wished it was anyone else. Anyone else that made me feel this way. He makes me feel everything I've never felt before and it was addicting yet terrifying.
Suddenly, Max used his two hand to cup my cheeks, giving me a forehead kiss. "All will be fine. I promise. And I'll be with you until it is."
"Thank you, Max." I tried to smile the best I could.
"Let's get you a coffee." He pointed at the coffee machine that was left on a small shelf in the room we were in. I nodded, relieved that there was at least something good in front of me right now. And I definitely don't mean Max.
It was hour three of waiting and I was busy listening to 'Kiss of life' by Sade. I remember I first listened to Sade with Carlos and we fell in love with her ever since. Despite Carlos' favorite song from her being 'Smooth Operator' , mine would definitely be 'Kiss of life.
Conveniently enough, I was sharing an airpod with Max who was fast asleep. He stuck true to his words and stayed with me. Along with Lewis, Carlos and Daniel. A couple WAGS were there like Isa and Charlotte as well as Monica and Lewis' mom. The rest headed home, telling us to inform them if there were any updates. It was safe to say that everyone's moods were dampened. After an incredible summer, it was finally time for the downfall.
As I felt my eyes drooping and was near drifting to sleep, I spotted the doctor that was checking up on my mom enter the lobby. I jumped to my feet, making Max who was sleeping on my shoulder fall to his side.
"So, what's wrong?" I asked the doctor the moment I reached him.
He waited for everyone to gather around before saying, "I've got some bad news."