102: That final corner

Authors note = Hello y'all! I'm still alive. Life is just busy, school is busy. Trying to write more and quicker because this book is almost coming to an end. Hopefully you are still enjoying this fanfic.Remind me to post.Love y'all- me.

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Maeve's point of view

Round 1/50

I'm sitting in my car, I skipped every person this morning, except you know Luci, Sienna, and Max. If I skip Sienna and Luci they might kill me because of their superstition.

But now only the red lights in front of me matter...

It's lights out and away we go in Las Vegas.

My heart skips a beat, fuck am I too late? The roar of engines drowns out every other sound. I have a great start and I take the lead into turn one, Max behind me even though he started pole. That gives me hope.

He sticks close to my rear wing, trying to find a gap. You know what they say, 'when you no longer go for gaps are you even a racing driver?'. I'm clean and precise and because of that there is no room for him to dive through. The track is wide but no space to overtake yet, I have to stay calm and on top of my game, while Max stays patient, feeling out his car. I'm letting my tires warm up as we navigate through the neon-lit 'streets' of the city.

Into turn 6 I lose my line and Max immediately notices, he pushes it on the inside and goes long.

There goes my first position.

Round 7/50

Still behind Max, bitch.

I'm pushing harder tho, trying to fucking force him into a mistake. But of course our perfect Verstappen won't make mistakes because of his fucki-

Calm down, Maeve. Slowly.

Charles is further back, keeping pressure on the both of us but not close enough to attack.

The car feels good, but the tires are starting to slide a little in the long corners, grip is not quite the same as the start, but that's probably because I was racing before the tires were at a good temperature.

My focus narrows on the world-champion car in front of me, which next year, will be mine.

I'm waiting for the right- no the perfect moment or chance to make my move.

RADIO: Pace is good, Maeve. Tire management looks solid

MAE: impossible, tires are worse than my nana's knees at the moment.

RADIO: we don't agree, they look good.

MAE: y'all checking the wrong car or sum?

RADIO *laughs*: No Maeve

MAE: understood, trying to close the gap now.

Round 15/50

I have settled into my rhythm, but I'm still trailing Max.

We're coming up on some backmarkers, and I know this could be my chance. The blue flags come out, and the slower cars begin to move aside. Max navigates through them with precision, but I manage to catch up a little, the dirty air from the slower cars disrupting his flow just enough to bring me within striking distance. My tires are starting to feel the strain, but I push on, knowing that I need to stay close if I want to have a shot at the lead.

RADIO: Box, box, Maeve

MAE: For fuck sake, I am so close to him.

RADIO: Three words, Maeve. We might undercut.

MAE: Omw.

I know it's time for our first pit stop and the timing needs to be perfect.

RADIO: We're going for mediums. Let's make this count.

Round 21/50

The pit stop was flawless and I'm now on medium tires. But the undercut didn't fully work, why? Because Max went for a double stack. So, we're now immediately behind each other, but I'm still in front.

The mediums feel different, more stable, less twitchy but they aren't perfect.

MAE: Something is wrong, my tires feel like shit again.

RADIO: There is nothing we can find Maeve, is it the same feeling as before? Are you sure it isn't you?

MAE: Don't tell me nothing is wrong, you are lucky I'm good otherwise this car would have been undriveable.

RADIO: We'll check later, stop whining

MAE (screaming): fuck you! Are you ruining my car on purpose or something?

RADIO: We really aren't Maeve, now drive. 29 laps left.

(More screaming from Maeve's radio)

Round 25/50

We're halfway through and it's clear this is going to be a fight to the finish. The gap is steady but neither of us are willing to give an inch.

The hatred I have for my boyfriend at the moment is unreal.

He is not ruining my biggest dream.

I can feel the wear starting to set in even more, what the fuck is wrong with my tires?

RADIO: Strong position, he's keeping pressure on you, watch out in turn 15, he's faster there.

MAE: I'm trying, Max and this car aren't making it easy for me.

RADIO: We know, you can do this.

As soon as Owen says that I reach turn 15, I try my hardest to be the fastest car but Max places his Redbull in front of mine, overtaking me in this round.

MAE: FUCKING ASSHOLE!!

Round 34/50

The track is changing as the night wears on, the temperature is dropping and the grip levels are going down with it. I'm chasing Max and every fucking lap feels like a warzone. For what feels like the millionth time I race past the Vegas strip.

RADIO: Tires?

MAE: Need new ones, desperately.

RADIO: Alright.

Round 39/50

RADIO: Box box, Maeve. Box Box. Going for a two stop, two stop Maeve.

MAE: If my tires survive yea, I want hards.

RADIO: Mediums

MAE: Hards or I'm retiring the fucking car.

RADIO: Hards will do.

This stop can make or break my race

Round 42/50

The change to hard has made a world of difference, I'm feeling confident again. The gap between Max and I has closed again and I'm pushing as hard as I dare, knowing I could turn wrong and end it all.

RADIO: Max is struggling, you've got this, Maeve. Make us proud

MAE: I will try.

Round 47/50

I'm right on Max's tail, I can almost smell him.

The track is a mess and there is something wrong with my car because the tires are just downgrading so badly.

My car responds to every one of my commands, we're dancing on the edge, both of us pushing the limits.

I can see the tension in his movements, I know him well enough, his small corrections as he's trying to stay ahead.

As we steer into the last turn of this round, I succeed and push my car in front of his.

Round 50/50

Final lap, Max is right behind me. Every corner is a challenge, every straight a test of nerve. Max is suddenly all over me and not in a good way like when we are at home together. I'm determined to hold him off.

The checkered flag is in sight, I push the throttle to it's limits, I can taste the victory.

But then.

In that final corner.

That fucking final corner.

Max makes one last lunge, faster out of the turn, his car finding grip where mine can't.

He pulls alongside me as we race to the finish line, my heart in my throat as we cross the line almost side by side.

MAE: Tell me I got it, like last time this happened.

RADIO: Sorry Maeve, Max took it by a nose.

A sigh escapes my mouth, a gasp.

MAE: Congratulations, 1-2 for the team.

RADIO: Are you okay, Maeve?

MAE: Yea, he did a good job.