Italics: Finnish
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ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : heart over mind
"Should've known better 'cause you're dangerous, a painful love
Too nice, too hard to fight. Heart over mind, oh"
Truth be told, Anneli hadn't always been as cold as she seemed; in fact, she wasn't even that cold at all, she was just very chill about everything. Her father always used to emphasise that there was no point in getting upset over things you couldn't control and if you could control them, focus on fixing it before you got angry.
She wasn't emotionless like the media made out, she was just relaxed. So relaxed that she could pull a full Kimi and take a nice nap before a race. Perhaps even relaxed enough that if she crashed, she'd likely just huff, get out of the car and shrug. Drive to Survive would hate it...or love the story they could make off her 'lack of emotion' but she didn't care.
To her, this was not some reality show.
Quite frankly, Anneli was surprised that no one had found out about her and Max because she was expecting someone to by now. She'd prefer if people didn't know at all, aside from the Max her parents, friends, Max's family and Christian Horner knew. But random people had no authority to know.
The funny thing about Anneli's family was that they were just surprised more than anything despite being nervous about Max. Part of Anneli thought her dad would be mad at Max for getting with her.
Kimi didn't blame Max for falling in love with his daughter.
He blamed Red Bull.
While Anneli's family had gone home while she flew to Belgium for the last race before summer break, even though it was only her second in Formula 1, so she was alone...in that regard. She wasn't alone for she was currently in a hotel bed with Max Verstappen.
She slept peacefully curled up at Max's side. The Dutchman was already awake but he kept his arm around her shoulders with Anneli's head leaning against it, he didn't want to disturb her. He knew they'd need to be at the track soon but Anneli didn't take long to get ready.
Her phone had kept pinging while he lay there on his own phone; she'd left it on the side table next to Max. He didn't like to pry but he felt like it might have been a good thing to check if anyone was after her for anything serious before he woke up her.
They were all from an Instagram group chat, notifications piling up.
(👀) Felipe's fan girls
Brazil-man: Anneli, you meeting me to walk to track?
(👀) Felipe's fan girls
Brazil-man: oi @Icecube reply to me
(👀) Felipe's fan girls
Jack-in-a-car: She's properly asleep Felipe
(👀) Felipe's fan girls
Brazil-man: Yeah, asleep in Max's bed—
Max couldn't help but smirk slightly as his eyes glanced down at that one. It was the last message on the home screen without clicking on them, which he wasn't going to do because it was Anneli's business, not his.
Felipe was just annoyed because traditions that he and Anneli did without even thinking about it, like going to track together and spending an insane amount of time together had been changed because of her new habits with Max.
"Anneli, your friends are messaging you," Max said as he shook her shoulder lightly.
"Tell them to go away then," Anneli muttered,"I am comfortable...as long as you don't move your arm, I am happy here. It cannot be that important."
"Okay," Max teased. "Just so you know, Felipe knows where you are."
"Felipe what?" Anneli shot up, eyes wide. "Oh, I was supposed to meet Felipe."
She groaned as Max passed her the phone, allowing her to read the messages. Anneli quickly typed out a response before tumbling out of bed while Max laughed at the reply, having been peering over her shoulder.
(👀) Felipe's fan girls
Icecube: It wasn't Max's bed. It was a hotel bed with Max in it
Brazil-man: Wow, icecube... I don't actually want to know. I want NO details of that.
Icecube: Go to track with Jack, I'll meet you there
"You're adorable," said Max as he got out of bed.
"Adorable?" Anneli hummed, turning to him. "Not the word I would use or imagine you using."
"Trust me, you surprise me more than I surprise you," Max added.
"I don't think I am that surprising—"
"I disagree," Max smiled.
Anneli rolled her eyes as she threw her shirt on with the jacket over the top. She wasn't massively into fashion, she always went for practicality, but Minttu had always instilled the habit of making sure she was dressed appropriately and looked like she belonged wherever she was.
"Do you wear anything but that Red Bull top?"Anneli questioned as Max finished getting ready.
"I don't care about fashion so no," Max shrugged.
"You should wear more of the buttoned-up shirt with the collar undone, I prefer you in them," Anneli commented briefly as she packed her rucksack.
"I prefer you wearing no top but I don't ask you to do that," Max teased, kissing her cheek.
"I don't have the English words to reply to that statement."
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Anneli was used to sprint weekends, unlike most of the other drivers. The main difference thing was that they had a separate qualifying in F1 for the sprints and the grid didn't get reversed like it did in F2. Anneli preferred the grid being reversed as it made the whole thing more fun and difficult. Anneli liked difficult.
On the other hand, Anneli had managed to secure a P10 in the sprint, which would have been great if it came with points but it didn't. The race wasn't all that bad either, though she got P11 and missed out on any points which slightly made her frustrated. She knew she could do better.
As usual— another Sunday, another win for Max.
Checo joined him in second. Finally, Charles was on the last step of the podium after Robyn had been unable to pass him with the lack of pace in her Mercedes.
"Hi Yuki," Anneli greeted as they made their way out of the paddock.
"Hi, Nel," Yuki replied lightly. "How are your shoulders after the race?"
"Not as bad as last weekend," Anneli replied honestly. "I tried that dessert you told me to. It was good."
"I told you," said Yuki, proud of himself. "Did you doubt me?"
"I don't doubt anyone but I am not a big food person," Anneli answered. "I thought that we should hang out over summer, no? We have not spent much time off track together."
"Okay," Yuki agreed.
"You should come to Switzerland and I will take you to all of the best food places," Anneli promised. "I have also invited some drivers skiing if you like that kind of thing."
Anneli began to tell Yuki about the different places in Switzerland as well as the food back in Finland where she was born, Felipe, Jack and Max had all caught up with them by the time they'd gotten to the carpark.
"Boo!" Jack exclaimed next to Anneli.
"Wow, I am terrified," said Anneli blankly.
"One day, I will scare you," Jack promised.
"You can keep trying, you will not do it," Anneli smirked. "Felipe, have you stopped being mad now?"
"I wasn't mad!" Felipe whined.
"You did sound a bit mad, Mate," Max laughed lightly.
"I am confused," said Yuki, looking between them.
"Felipe was just upset because Anneli was late," Max answered before anyone else could.
He didn't know what Anneli had told Yuki and he wasn't going to let anyone say anything without her permission on it first.
"Yuki is going to come to Switzerland with us," Anneli interrupted. "Who does that leave us with? Robyn, Charles, You four, Daniel and Mick. I think that is it."
"It will be fun!" Jack grinned.
He was just happy to be spending all his time with Formula 1 drivers. Plus, Mick and Jack were really good friends so it gave them time together too.
Anneli just wanted to snowboard and she was happy to have tag along too.