Drive to Survive

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

The Italian race weekend went on to be the strangest one Dylan had experienced so far because Max had suddenly stopped being awful to her. 

After their argument on Thursday, she'd mindlessly completed the rest of her work day before going back to the hotel and getting straight into bed. She'd not even had the energy to chastise Carlos for his actions at the media zone or reply to the messages from the boys, checking in on her. Friday morning came and she was mentally prepared for another battle of a day. After their disagreement, she expected that Max would be ruder than ever, but the negativity never came. 

Now, it wasn't a complete change. Max still didn't really speak to her but he unusually complied with all her media and interview requests without a fight. He stopped the glares and the snarky comments, and he even managed to make eye contact at least twice in the day. So, Max Verstappen was not a pleasure to work with, but he was now bearable. For Dylan, that was a victory.

She was a tad confused in the change but didn't stop to question it because she didn't want to say or do anything that might undo it.

On Friday night, Dylan was hanging out in the hotel room with Lando when she got a phone call from her mum. 

"Hola, mami, ¿qué tal?"

"Dylan, why am I reading a news article about you?"

Her mum speaking in English caught her off guard and she stood up from the bed, walking over towards the window. Lando looked up from his phone, concerned. 

"What do you mean?"

"There's an article here about you, in the Daily Express! It says you're dating Carlos' teammate, that Charles boy. And there are lots of pictures of you with other boys. Cariña, you promised me that you would work hard. It looks like you are partying all the time."

"Mami, no, I am working hard, I promise! My bosses are happy with me, I only hang out with Carlos when I'm off the clock."

"Your father is disappointed, we did not raise you to be in the headlines like this."

Dylan groaned, "It's not my fault. I can't help what they write."

"Are you dating any of these boys?"

"No!" She protested.

"Hmm." Her mum sighed, "Vale, cariña, te hablaré pronto." 

"Sí, buenas noches." Dylan muttered, hanging up the phone. 

Lando chuckled as Dylan threw herself back on the bed dramatically. After a stressful day before, they'd both been enjoying some downtime to watch trashy TV and chill out on their phones but the drama still had a way of creeping up on her. 

"That sounded fun." Lando smirked.

"Ugh." She groaned, "They're mad because they think I'm blowing off work and dating someone behind their backs. It's not fair."

"Hate to say it, Dee-Dee, but I warned you. Comes with the territory."

She reached up and hit him playfully around the head, "Are you saying all I need to do to make this go away is stop hanging out with you? Easy, done, get out."

"Please!" He exclaimed, grabbing a pillow and hitting her back, "I am your best source of entertainment. You'd be miserable without me around."

They bickered back and forth for the rest of the night but Dylan could never refute what Lando said. She would absolutely be miserable without him around and she was grateful to have found such a good friend in him.