Page 38 of Homecoming

Watching my teammate and the whole team celebrating, I knew I should join in. Congratulate them on the job done. It was something we all strived for. To climb up on that podium. But, all I felt was resentment. This kid who didn’t respect anyone, who didn’t want to work with anyone, was put in front of me. The saddest part in all of it was that he couldn’t see that the win was handed to him. Not only by the mechanics or the strategist but by the corporate decision. And it burned in my gut. We were supposed to be equal. When he was first signed, I went out of my way to help him. But he wouldn’t listen. And here we were. Everybody celebrating, me standing behind and watching. He was their golden boy, and I was the one who paid the price.

I found a moment and beckoned Max to me.

I owed it to him, to try and talk sense into him, to mentor him.

No matter what, he was still my teammate. And we had to work together.

He was all smiles and cheeky grins as he came over. Having a good time, and not caring if he deserved it or not.

I didn’t sugarcoat it, and jumped right in.

“Kid, it’s not a one-man show. All of this.” I threw my arm out indicating the garage. “It’s a team effort. You gotta show respect to the guys.”

God, how many times did I have to explain it to him?

He had been a dick last night.

The guys didn’t deserve it.

All he had to do after he was done with the interviews was come back to the pit, share a drink with them, and say thank you. It wasn't that hard.

But, no.

He went out, got shitfaced, and ended up in someone’s bed, not to mention posted a selfie holding the orange board with his final place, which Greg had to lean over the fence for him to see in that split second.

The whole crew should have been with him in it.

It was tradition.

After that, he could go out and fuck whomever he wanted.

Now, we had a pissed-off crew and a situation where mistakes could easily be made.

“First, don’t call me kid. My name is Max and you better learn it.” He sneered.

“I know your name,” I sighed.

“Second,” he smirked. “You keep preaching about team effort and all that bullshit, yet I’m the only one raising that trophy. I didn’t see you on the podium last night.”

That was a cheap shot and he knew it. He was well aware of the order I’d got from the heads.

I hated doing it, but I’d slowed down, again, all so he would be overrun.

It was against the rules and I’d got a penalty for it.

There was even talk about how I would be banned from the next race, but thankfully that didn’t happen.

Swallowing my rage, I gritted through clenched teeth, “If you don’t see that it was handed to you by everyone, and I do mean everyone on this team, then—”

“Then what?” he asked snidely.

I shook my head. It was no use. He would never step down from the self-made throne.

I sighed. I was done. “Then there’s no helping you.”

“Now, what does that mean?” I could see he was gearing up for a fight.

A few years ago, I would have taken him up on that invitation.