All of Me (Sebastian Vettel)

16. Leap of Faith

Seb jumped up and ran to the front door.  He pulled it open and ran along the balcony.  He dashed down the stairs, figuring it would be quicker than waiting for the elevator,  and out into the car park.  He looked left, he looked right,  but he couldn't see Alyssa anywhere.  Taking his phone out, he tried to call her.  He was  sent straight to voicemail. 

"Alyssa, this isn't funny.  You can't just walk off alone with him about.  I'm worried sick.  Please ring me when you get this."  He went back up the stairs to the flat.  He found Cherry sat in the lounge.

"How could she do this Cherry? He could take her, he could hurt her.  Why would she put herself in danger like this?" Seb asked.

"Seb, sit down.  You are overreacting. She will be fine.  Now I've thought about it, she's probably safer out there than she is in here.  Out there he doesn't know where she is.  Here he could find her all too easily."

"I'm not overreacting.  She shouldn't be out there alone, not after what he did.  She should be calling the police," Seb exclaimed.

"I agree, but it is Alyssa's decision to make.  We cannot force her to do anything she doesn't want to do.  If we do we are no better than him."

"We're not hurting her!"  How could Cherry compare them to the scumbag that had ruined Aly's life?

"No, we're not, but she has to choose her own path in life. She should not be controlled and told what to do.  We can advise her, but at the end of the day you cannot make her call the police, and you cannot make her go home with you."

"I just can't leave her here," he said.

"Seb, you don't have a choice."

Deep down he knew Cherry was right.  He couldn't force Alyssa to go with him.  He just felt so helpless.  He wanted to keep her safe!   He silently admitted that selfishly he also wanted her to go with him so he could see more of her.

"She'll be back.  She just needs time to think," Cherry continued.

Suddenly Seb jumped up.  "I think I know where she's gone! She told me that day I spent with her that she goes to that beach to think. I bet she's there."

"I know the beach you mean.  You're probably right.  There's a bus that goes there.  It would have left about the time we noticed she was gone."

Seb headed to the bathroom. He had a quick wash, deciding to forego a shower as it would take too long. He sprayed some deodorant on and then changed into his clean clothes, before heading back to the lounge. He grabbed his car keys off of the table.

"I'm going to find her," he told Cherry.

"Seb, please be careful.  She's very fragile.  Please don't try and bully her into anything," the Jamaican woman stressed.

"I won't," he replied. "I just need to talk to her."

He left the flat and made his way back down the stairs.  He got into his car, put his belt on and turned the key in the ignition. Pulling out of the carpark, he turned right and began to head towards the beach where he and Alyssa had gone before.  He parked up, paid for parking and headed to the seafront. 

He breathed a sigh of relief as he spotted Alyssa just thirty metres or so away from him.  She was sat on the sand, her knees up to her chin, staring out to sea.  He approached her, announcing  his presence as he got nearer. 

"I thought I might find you here," he said softly.

She looked at him, then looked back at the water without replying.