Brute

14. Max

"I thought we agreed that you wouldn't talk about Charles too brutally honest." Kalki looked at him, she was definitely shooting daggers with her eyes.

"We didn't agree. You just gave me advice and I didn't take it." Max scoffed walking ahead of her. He knew it would get on her nerves and it worked. She looked angry, maybe she'd rage quit he hoped.

He glanced back, she had stopped walking and was taking deep breaths. She noticed him looking and quickly hurried to walk by his side, Kalki wasn't one to go down without a fight, Max knew that.

"Fine. Do whatever you want. Make an idiot out of yourself and then don't complain when people start quitting their jobs because you're a PR nightmare."

"Ouch! Snide remarks! These people work for Red Bull. Everything about us is controversial, they aren't leaving so easily." He smirked.

The expression that flashed across her face looked very much like she was going to slap the smile off his face, surprisingly she didn't. "See. You're the one who asked me to behave and you're not upholding your side of the deal."

The evening came flooding back to him, his expression had visibly darkened. He didn't have to be reminded that he had gone all the way to Cologne but it had been in vain. Evi had made it abundantly clear she didn't want to talk to him right now, maybe never.

"Can't remember?" She said, "don't act like a child and I won't behave like one." Kalki had already walked away, she was walking towards the Haas garage, Max knew why and he couldn't be bothered.

He went back to his driver room and lie down on the massage bed for a bit, to gather his thoughts before he had to talk to his engineers. But all he could think about was Evi, where did he go wrong? Why wouldn't she just tell him?

He didn't realise he had been laying there for a while until one of the engineers came looking for him, he apologised for being late and jumped straight into work with the team. Analysing data was a great distraction for his mind, all he could think of was getting more out of the car and not everything that had been bothering him.

With that done, he was pulled aside by the marketing team and handed a stack of cards to sign. It was a mundane task, it gave him way too much time to think about things he didn't want to.

"You've been awfully quiet lately." Checo told him handing the caps he was done signing.

"Yeah I mean, you don't really speak much when there's a lot going on up here." Max pointed to his head.

"Well, I hope whatever's bothering you gets sorted soon. I'm heading back now see you later." He walked out of the place.

"Thanks." Max went back to signing the cards, now he had some caps to sign too.

This was boring, horribly boring. To his surprise someone slid into the chair next to him, a person he didn't expect to be considerate towards him at all.

"Will you stop staring at me and get back to signing shit?" Kalki sassed.

"And just when I thought you were being kind." He scoffed, picking up the marker to sign the remaining merchandise.

"I don't know why you expect kindness, I'm just doing my job."

"And your job-"

"Is to manage your image. Not coddle you."

The way she was speaking right now felt awfully familiar, he felt like he was 12 again, just lost a race and was being yelled at about it. He pushed those thoughts aside and continued doing his work, bickering with her had really made all of this go by much faster.

"I'm going to the hotel, do you have a ride?" He asked her.

"I don't and I have to stay behind anyway." She said.

"Why-"

"Don't act dumb. I told you the repercussions of running your mouth." She glared at him.

"I'm going to pop in just to apologise to them." Max smiled guiltily.

After giving everyone a personal, "my bad" Max was on his way out. He got into his car and decided to go for a drive before going back to his hotel. It's not like there was much to do anyway, maybe he could ask one of his friends if they were up for some gaming.

He got back to his hotel and took a long shower, but the guilt didn't really wash off. He wanted to mess with Kalki, not everyone else that worked hard. But what could he really do other than saying sorry? His phone buzzed, he had a text.

Lando: up for some FIFA?

Max: Carlos doesn't want to play with you isn't it 😂

Lando: how dare you doubt the place you hold in my heart 😔

Max: You're texting the wrong Max

Lando: No I'm not, I wanted to play a round with the world champion not my lame roomie

Max: Alright then set up a friendly and invite me

Lando: nahhh I'm inviting you to my room, it's more fun that way

Max: I'm too lazy to get up and move

Lando: well then get your set up ready because I'm on my way

Max connected his play station to the TV, his room was relatively tidy so he didn't have anything to pick up. All he had to do now was wait for Lando, maybe they could get something to eat as they game he thought.

In a few minutes, Lando was here. Max asked him if he was hungry, asked for his dietary restrictions and ordered food for them- that their performance coaches would approve of and the competition had kicked off.

Lando was horrible. Five games in, Max barely felt like it was a challenge, he joked that Lando was gifting him the wins. Which was clearly not the case because with every lost game he would get more and more mad and loud.

"This was fun, see you tomorrow Norris." Max saw him out.

"See ya. Oh!" Lando leaned ahead to have a better look at the person walking out of the lift, "and who might that be?" He smiled.

Max's eyes followed where he was looking to, Kalki had come back from the track now- much much later than he had. He didn't like the way Lando was beaming from ear to ear looking at her, poor fool. He thought.

"Don't be shy, introduce me to her." He looked at Max.

"It's best to stay away." Max said walking with Lando towards the lift.

"Why? Because she's a Red Bull employee? We can be star crossed-"

"Shut up." He rolled his eyes, "she has a horrible temper don't even bother. The lift's here."

"What a buzzkill. Good night Max." Lando entered the lift.

"Good night." Max waved goodbye.