50: Being friends

The next day, Wednesday

Maeve's point of view

I turn off my alarm and turn around to grab my phone.

The screen lights up and I see all the messages.

I open Instagram.

I see an incoming face call in our group

Girls who love Ferrari + Redbull

L: Happy birthday Maevey!!

S: Happy birthday sweetheart!!

M: Thank you, babies!! Officially 21!

S: I am looking forward to your party!!! I hope you have a lot of alcohol.

M: Of course!

A lot of sound coming from Luciana's microphone

S: Luci, what are you doing?

?: Happy birthday, Maeve!

M: Thank you... whoever is in the room with Luci

C: It's Charles

M: Well thank you Charles!

Again, a lot of sounds from Luci's side.

L: Alright, I left the room.

S: Which room... your hotelroom or his hotelroom?

L: Mine...

M: So what is he doing there?

L: We had a date last night and he never left.

M: Did you two...

S: YOU HAD SEX WITH LECLERC?

L: Maybe...

S: Good for you, are you two like officially together now, nothing fake?

L: I don't know what this means, to be honest.

M: Just enjoy the sex, worry later. That's my advice

L: Oh I will enjoy it, definitely

M: Too much information, hanging up now.

S: Me too, see you two tonight babes

L: Bye sweethearts.

Max's point of view

I heard her alarm, so I know she's awake.

I place the candles on the cake, I bought her her favorite, Red Velvet.

With the lighter I found in a cupboard I light the candles.

To be sure she is clothed, I knock on the door.

'Come in!', I hear

I open the door and start singing.

'Zum geburtstag viel glück...', I try my best to put on my best German accent.

Maeve is covered in blankets, her hair being all over the place, she smiles at me.

'Zum geburtstag viel glück... zum geburtstag liebe Maeve'y, I take a deep breath, just enough to hit my last high note. 'Zum geburtstag viel glück!!!'.

Maeve starts clapping loudly, 'Yes queen!!! You go girl!!'.

I walk to the bed with the cake in my hands.

'Blow out the candles, Maeve, there are 21', I sit next to her.

She holds her hair back and blows out the candles, almost all in once.

'Thank you so much, Max. I really appreciate it', she gives me a kiss on my cheek.

God zegen mij

'It's no big deal, you were worth the trouble', I grin.

Her entire face lights up when she smiles, a smile that turns into a laugh.

'How come you hate me one day and then like me the next?', she asks.

Maeve's point of view

'You'll never know if it's the first or the second', Max smirks.

'Okay let's make a deal, I'll give you my bracelet. If you wear it on your left side... it's because you feel we're friends. If you wear it on your right side it's because you feel we're enemies'. I take off my golden bracelet with my initials on it.

'Deal, I'll give you one of mine', he takes off his.

We swap the bracelets and I wear it on my left, he also wears it on his left.

'M. H. H. V', Max says.

'Yep'.

'Maeve..... H.H Vettel?', he laughs. 'I have no clue what those H's stand for'.

'Maeve Hanna Heike Vettel, named after my mother and grandma', I say.

'Max Emilian Verstappen, named after god knows what'.

I laugh.

'It's pretty, really. Why not Jos or something?'.

'I guess my dad always knew I would be a disappointment, he never wanted me to carry his name'.

That's a tough one to swallow.

'Wow... that's... dark', I say.

'It's alright, it was my childhood. No biggie'.

'Max, that's literal abuse. Mental abuse.'

'As if you're father never hit you when you lost a race in karting'.

'Max, of course, he never did that. He- he's my dad'.

'Oh, well I guess I- I don't know', he shrugs.

'Max... I'm so sorry that you had to go through all that', my heart aches for him.

'Let's not spoil your birthday, I'm alright now, I'm fine', he grabs my hand and holds it.

'I know, Max, but please, talk to me... I want to help you', I squeeze it.

'I love my dad, of course, he raised me with love, but not entirely. He stimulated me to follow my passion for racing, he brought me to tracks, where I drove around for the first time. He taught me everything, the technical aspects but also the important values, like discipline and respect for others on and off track. He was a great mentor, a great coach, but he lacked being a father', Max says, I swear to god I am about to cry.

'I never want my children to grow up that way, I want them to grow up the way you grew up, with a loving dad and an amazing family', he smiles.

'That's so sweet, I'm sure you will be an amazing dad, I just know it', I assure him.

'Thank you, Maeve. I appreciate that', he lets go of my hand and hands me a piece of cake. 'Eat, I didn't bake it myself unfortunately but it's Red Velvet, your favorite'.

My heart melts, how did he know?

I take a bite and I let out a small moan, it is amazing.

'Max, this is delicious', I take another bite.

He laughs and grabs a piece for himself too.

'I'm glad you like it, I went to five bakeries and only one sold this'.

'I know, it's the same in every country, the only country that sells them at every bakery is the United Kingdom, and I'm never there', I take another bite.

'So why not, you know... get chocolate cake?', Max asks.

'I used to eat this with my grandpa, when my dad was racing and my mom was at school my grandpa always brought me to a small bakery, and he always ordered two slices of red velvet. It has been my favorite since then'.

'Were you and your grandpa close?', Max shoves a piece of cake into his mouth.

'Yeah, he was my favorite person on earth, until... suddenly he wasn't on earth anymore'.

'May I ask how he died?', Max asks carefully.

I nod. 'He was attending one of my father's races, he got a heart attack and died. Turns out he had cancer but didn't tell any of us, he didn't want us to worry'. I clear my throat. 'My dad lost his father at the age of 26, I was 10 years old'.

'That must've been hard for you', Max places his hand on mine, to comfort me I guess.

'It was, it still is sometimes. But I'm okay, I am fine'

'Are you really?'

'Sometimes, but I'm grateful and a lot of times I'm happy', I smile.

'When you are not, I'm here for you... I'm here for you whenever you need me, happy or sad', he smiles at me.

I smile back at him.

Look at us being friends.