Online Rivals, Offline Lovers

Chapter 12 - Collisions

[Lex Pov]

Kissing Max was the best feeling I'd ever experienced. My whole body felt electric, but as I drew back to catch my breath, in order not to faint, Max stumbled back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

A wave of confusion washed over me. Why did he do that? What just happened? Was the kiss really that awful for him? I watched as he turned and left without another word, leaving me standing there, feeling stunned and rejected. Did he not want me? Had the kiss really been so bad for him that he had to wipe his mouth and run away from me?

I felt the heart in my chest threaten to break if I didn't get an answer right then and there. I hurried after him, out of the club, scanning the crowded street, but he was nowhere to be seen.

I involuntarily let out a stifled sob and pressed my hand over my mouth to stop myself from making another sound. As I stood there and stared out into the darkness, my heart slowly broke into a million pieces. Why did he leave me like that? Why had I even kissed him? Why did I have to ruin our friendship like that? Why?

Daniel appeared next to me and gently put his arm around my shoulder. I still had my hand pressed to my mouth in order not to make any more noise.

"That was... fucked up, Lexie. I'm so sorry. I don't know how he could behave like that." He said, and pulled my hand off my face, enveloping me in a hug.

"I want to go home. Can we please leave?" I pleaded, not being able to hold my tears back any longer.

Daniel nodded understandingly. "Of course."

***

The following days were mostly filled with silence.

I had made the decision not to reach out to him; this time, if he wanted to apologize or explain himself, he could come to me. Even if he didn't like me romantically... weren't we friends? Couldn't he have stopped and told me that he didn't like me that way?

Instead, he had treated me as if I were some disgusting thing, something to be wiped away, something to run away from, and I refused to be treated like that.

I concentrated on training to pass the time and spent as much time in the simulator as possible.

It wasn't until the next race in Barcelona that we crossed paths again. Once we got there, I had hoped that his behavior would change... that once he was forced to spent time with me again, he would say something... but he didn't. Whenever I entered a room, he would promptly leave, not even sparing me a glance, ignoring me completely.

I chose to spend more time with Daniel. At least he didn't treat me like I was air. After qualifying, we ended up ordering food to my hotel room, sitting on the bed, eating and talking.

I sighed, frustration evident in my voice. "I don't understand him sometimes. It's like I don't even know who he is anymore."

Daniel reached for another piece of pizza. "I don't get it either, Lex. I tried talking to him, but he brushed me off - said I wouldn't get it."

I shook my head and turned towards the TV. "Oh great, speak of the devil."

Max appeared on the screen giving an interview to the reporters.

"So Max, tell us," the reporter said, smiling, "who do you prefer as your teammate? Checo or Lexie?"

I scoffed at the question. Surely he wouldn't answer that - but Max smiled, like he didn't have a care in the world, and went on. "Honestly, it doesn't matter. I will beat them all."

I looked over at Daniel, whose jaw was hanging slack, his piece of pizza forgotten as he watched Max on the TV.

"What the...? Who does he think he is?!" His flippant remark stung.