The Fire Inside (Sebastian Vettel)

17. The Morning After

Emily woke up the next morning feeling completely shit. Her eyes were stinging like crazy, her head was pounding and she felt sick.

How much had she drank last night? Then she remembered. She remembered drinking champagne outside with Charles Leclerc. And she remembered seeing Seb kissing Francesca. She groaned as she sat up. What a bloody mess.

It was then she saw Joel curled up in the armchair under the window. She got out of bed and poked him.

"Go away," he said. "I'm asleep."

"Seriously Joel, you need to wake up. We're leaving soon." Hearing Emily's voice he sat up.

"Emily, are you ok?" She smiled weakly at him.

"I will be. Better I find out what he's like now before I'd actually slept with him."

"Prick. He even had the nerve to say he needed to explain. He deserved what he got."

"Joel, what did you do?" she asked, nervously.

"I punched him," Joel stated. "I'd have done it more than once if Carlos Sainz hadn't held me back."

"Joel, are you crazy? You could lose your job over this? For fuck's sake!"

"I don't care. I'm not having him do this to you."

"Joel, he never promised me anything. He's a single.man. Yes, I'm upset but it's not as if we were together. "

"Ems, I'm sorry. I just hate seeing you upset. You went through so much before and I just saw red."

"You need to apologise to him. Make out it was the drink. Even if you don't mean it. Save your job Joel. I need you here. I can't do this without you. "

Joel headed back to his own room to get ready to leave. Emily had a quick shower. What a mess. Why had Seb done it? Why did it hurt so much? She just felt like an idiot. He'd made her believe he wanted her. He couldn't want her that much if he'd kissed Francesca. Had he done more than that? Had he taken Francesca back to his room last night?

She got dressed and finished packing. Then she sat on the bed , staring into space, reliving last night over again.

***

Seb woke up and groaned. Hello hangover. He opened his eyes and nearly had heart failure. Daniel Ricciardo was staring at him literally inches from his face.

"Welcome back to the land of the living. Britta has booked you in for another day and changed your flight. We figured you were going to be in no state to travel."

"What the hell happened Daniel? My face hurts. Oh my God, how much did I drink?" He sat up, holding his head.

"Don't you remember?"

"Last thing I remember is buying Jägermeister."

Then he remembered why he'd bought the Jägermeister. Emily. She'd disappeared with Charles Leclerc. He groaned again and got up, heading to the bathroom. He relieved himself and then looked in the mirror.

"Fuck, Daniel, why have I got a black eye?"he shouted, storming back into the bedroom.

"Yeah, that. One of your mechanics punched you."

'Who? Why?"

"Seb, calm down. So from what I can gather, you weren't making much sense, you upset his sister. He wasn't very happy. I don't really know much more."

"Joel. I upset Emily? Shit, what the fuck did I do?"

"That's a question for them, I just saw him hit you."

Seb grabbed his phone and tried calling Emily.

"Seb, just leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you." Then she hung up. He tried again and was diverted to voicemail. He decided to call Joel.

"You've got a nerve calling me after what you did. I'm sorry I hit you ok but you deserved it."

"Joel, I was that drunk. I don't even remember you hitting me. I don't know what I did. I can't remember. All I know is Emily's not talking to me and you hit me. What did I do? Please tell me."

"So you don't remember snogging the hell out of Francesca in the club? Well my sister remembers."

Seb felt sick. How could he have done that? He remembered feeling jealous about Emily spending time with Charles but to kiss Francesca? He was ashamed of his behaviour. He needed to see her.

"Joel, I need to see her. I need to say sorry. I don't remember doing it. I am so ashamed of myself."

"I thought better of you Seb. And forget seeing her. She doesn't want to see you. Stay away from her." Joel hung up on him.

"You fucked up dude," Daniel said.

"I know. Not just by kissing Francesca. I fucked up by not making Emily my girl. This friends with benefits bullshit, it doesn't work. Now I've lost her for good."

"Seb, you did what you did. I don't know Emily. I don't know if she will forgive you. But I know if you really are sorry then you need to prove it to her. Show her you want her not this Francesca chick."

"How do I do that if she won't even talk to me?"

"You're Sebastian bloody Vettel. You can do anything, anything you put your mind to."

Seb sat still for a minute. Then he jumped up, pulling on a pair of jogging bottoms and a t-shirt. He slipped his trainers on.

"Where are you going?" Daniel asked, as he headed out of the door.

"I'm going to find Emily."

He headed down the stairwell. He remembered her saying her room was 111. He found it and knocked on the door. No answer. Knocked again. No answer .

"Emily, please. I just want to talk to you. I'm sorry Emily."

"She's already left mate," said one of his mechanics who was walking by, dragging a suitcase.

"She's on the first coach load. If you hurry you might catch her."

"Thanks Steve," Seb said and took of running. He had to get to her before she went. He jogged through the lobby, earning himself some strange looks.

The lobby was jam packed with Aston Martin Personnel, and with McLaren crew who also stayed there. He ran out of the front doors and saw a coach pulling away from the kerb. He was too late.

He trudged back through to the elevator. Letting himself back into his room he collapsed on the bed. How could he make this right? He knew he wanted Emily, not just as a friend with benefits. He wanted to call her his, but he knew his actions had basically ruined his chances with her. Why was he such was he such fucking idiot?

***

Emily popped her air pods in as she tried to get comfortable in her seat. The plane taxied down the runway. She had eight days now until travelling to France for the next race.

She knew Seb would be visiting the factory to use the sim. She needed to avoid him at all costs until she had to see him in France. Why was she such an idiot? Why had she begun to have feelings for him? Why did he have to kiss Francesca? Did he take Francesca to bed? She didn't know if she wanted to know the answer to that last question.

She decided to put whatever she and Seb had had in the past. It was done. What it could have been, they would never know. It was over.