"I stepped out of a coffee shop in Rotterdam on a rainy day and I saw the most beautiful boy I've ever laid my eyes on."
Max Verstappen, an outspoken, "aggressive", three time world champion in Formula One, who was staying in Rotterdam trying to hi...
Max nervously pulls at his left ring finger, a nervous habit he got when he was young. The Dutchman took a deep breath before knocking... He had never been this nervous before, not when he made the jump from Formula Three to Formula One, not when he had to face the media after pushing Ocon. No, he's nervous because--
"Hallo, Sir max," Elizabeth teases a smirk on her lips as she sees his nerves, "Not to worry," she reassured, "Come in."
His worried smile turned to a real one as he enters her apartment, they had arranged a meet up but Elizabeth wanted him to meet her in her homely apartment first so they could have lunch then go on what Elizabeth said would be an "exciting adventure".
"Broodjekaas?" Cheese sandwich?
"Alsjeblieft," Please.
It's quiet for a while, the only sound being from Elizabeth hurrying around her kitchen to make themselves some sandwiches before randomly she stops in front of max. He was leaning against the wall leading to the kitchen, "Music?" sharing very few words was odd for them both, they were acting quite awkward with each other. Elizabeth wrings her hands together in nerves.
They had talked many time in the few days that had known one another but this was their 'awkward-ist' time ever, even worse than their first phone call... Don't ever bring that up to either of them, they would probably die from embarrassment.
Max nods and she beams up at him, "We must listen to Frank Sinatra!"
Max just beams at her smile as she jumps up and down, with her phone in her hand she clicks on Spotify and opens her own Frank Sinatra playlist, That's Life Plays through the speakers that she has in her kitchen-- as one of her favourite things to do is dance as she cooks.
"That's what all the people say You're riding high in April, shot down in May But I know I'm gonna change that tune When I'm back on top, back on top in June"
Elizabeth sings the lyrics, slightly dancing around the space feeling safe with Max in the comfort of her home.
she stops in front of Max, her hand reaching out to his own,
"Dance with me," with her smile it's hard to say no, without much of a thought he joins in, grabbing her significantly smaller hand in his own calloused hands. They fit together like missing puzzle pieces.
He takes the lead of their made up dance twirling her around the kitchen with ease. He'd had been forced to learn curtesy of his younger sister back when they were younger, Victoria (his sister) told him that they just had to learn... For what? Well Max didn't exactly know himself. Victoria didn't really give any explanation.
"I said that's life (that's life) And as funny as it may seem Some people get their kicks Stomping on a dream But I don't let it, let it get me down Cause this fine old world, it keeps spinnin' around"
Both of them giggle as Elizabeth dramatically lowered her voice to fit Frank Sinatra's, their smiles were contagious both beaming at one another. Max spins her again, Elizabeth's long maxi skirt twirling around her long legs, his hands land back to her waist when she comes to a stop, max was swaying side to side in sync with Elizabeth's own movements.
If you told Max a week ago that he would be in a kitchen dancing with someone he had just met he would have laughed hysterically right in your face, never once had he acted so much on impulse - other than when he was angry but that's not the point.
"I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet A pawn and a king I've been up and down and over and out And I know one thing Each time I find myself Flat on my face I pick myself up and get Back in the race"
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"That's life (that's life) I tell you, I can't deny it I thought of quitting, baby But my heart just ain't gonna buy it And if I didn't think it was worth one single try I'd jump right on a big bird and then I'd fly"
"I have a secret," Elizabeth whispers to the man before her, he hums in reply. The silly smile he had before still plastered on his tired face.
"I love Frank Sinatra," she grins, her body close to Max's, his hands lightly on her waist in the most respectful way possible.
"Really?" Max teases with a pinch to her side.
"Really," Her head tilts back as she laughs at the look he was giving her.
"I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet A pawn and a king I've been up and down and over and out And I know one thing Each time I find myself layin' Flat on my face I just pick myself up and get Back in the race"
They both feel at ease, calm, way different from the awkwardness before. Both Dutchies basked in the closeness, holding one another.
"That's life (that's life) That's life and I can't deny it Many times I thought of cutting out, but my heart won't buy it But if there's nothing shaking, come this here July I'm gonna roll myself up In a big ball and die"
Max chokes a laugh at the end, "What a sad song, hm?"
"Not too sad." Her voice low, matching with Max's pitch.
"My, my," The song comes to an end, but their dancing continues not quite ready to end the moment quite yet.
new songs come and go, but their dancing never ceases until they finally realize how long they had been doing such.
====
"Here we are," Elizabeth smiles pushing open the door to a studio she had bought with the money she has earned from all her gigs in small pubs around Rotterdam.
"Wauw," Max breaths looking around the small studio, "This is great, Els!"
"Thank you Max," Looking at the studio with the equipment she had barely afforded brought emotions to her eyes that Max couldn't quite place. He walks to her, his feet heavy as he acts on impulse again shocking himself, he feels himself wrap his arms around her.
She tilts her head up slightly, as she's not too much shorter than he. "Thanks for being here for me," she wraps her arms back around him and gives him a tight embrace in return to his feather light touch.
"Of course, you'd do the same," Max, isn't wrong she'd do anything for the elder of the two but what he hadn't said was she was already there for him, just a week ago he was mopping in his hotel room by his lonesome and now he is hugging the most thoughtful and outgoing girl he had ever met in his 26 years of life.
"Play me something?" Max whispers once she lets go slightly, her arms now loosely around his torso.
"Okay," She agrees walking towards her keyboard in the corner, a microphone above it in front of her face, Max smiles and takes some pictures while she distracted by playing her song that she had wrote.
"I actually made lyrics to this song... and I may have recorded it."
