Taming the Bull ~ [Sebastian Vettel]

Chapter 1 - Once In a Lifetime Opportunity

As Ingrid glanced behind the blinds over her bedroom windows she was met by one of the most heavenly sights she'd seen in a long time. Outside her fifth-floor apartment in central London, the world was covered by a layer of snow. It was a rare sight, and one to be treasured. You never knew when you'd next get the chance to see the white powder cover the busy streets down below.

Even though it was still quite early on a Sunday morning people were still outside moving about in the messy weather. London never seemed to sleep. Ingrid watched from up high in the safety of her own apartment how an elderly man rolled a big, black suitcase behind him whilst looking left and right across the street. She saw a young woman who tried to keep a bright yellow umbrella above her styled hair whilst also juggling with a handbag, a laptop and a cup of coffee in her left hand. On the other side of the street were two young children holding their mother's hands whilst walking in a brisk pace, and so many others on the go out in the cold January weather.

Watching other people moving on the streets below her apartment was one of Ingrid's favourite pastimes and no, she wasn't a stalker. She just enjoyed daydreaming, not only about herself, but about others as well. Some people would argue that daydreaming and making up scenarios in your head was a subconscious way of saying that you don't appreciate or find your own life exciting enough, but Ingrid always brushed that thought off.

It was at this very moment, whilst observing the world outside, that an annoying sound could be heard coming from her bedside table. Ingrid turned around and saw her phone vibrating and the home screen flashing up with the sight of someone calling her.

Who could be calling her at 9 a.m on a Sunday Ingrid wondered. She instantly drew her morning robe closer around her and strolled across her small bedroom to reach her phone and answer the call.

"Ingrid Ziegler speaking.", she answered whilst retreating back to the window to once more watch the magical weather and world outside.

"You didn't even check who was calling? I feel offended now!", a dramatic voice could be heard through the phone. The voice belonging to none other than Ingrid's older brother Emil.

"Haha, so funny aren't you...anyway, what are you doing calling me this early on a Sunday? I'd just managed to get out of bed and now I have to listen to your stupid voice instead of some much more enjoyable silence.", whilst Ingrid tried to sound as serious as possible she couldn't help but smile to herself at the phone call with her brother. The two of them were really close, but since her brother had just gotten married over Christmas it had been a while since they'd had their typical "sibling-sunday calls".

"Well, my lovely sister. I was planning on asking you out for lunch with me today. And no, before you say anything I know you have to be in for work at 4 p.m, but if we meet up in three hours you've got just enough time to make it home for a shower before work, perfect right?", Ingrid hadn't even had a chance to reply to her brother before he'd already answered her most pressing question about how she was supposed to fit having lunch with him before she had to be at the hospital into her schedule. Instead Emil seemed to have it all figured out.

"Seems like you've painted me into a corner here, I couldn't say no now even if I wanted to! But sure, I'll come. Where to?", Ingrid had slowly made her way into her big kitchen overlooking the Thames river whilst speaking to her older brother on the phone.

She started preparing a mug of coffee whilst keeping her phone balanced on her shoulder. She moved through her kitchen like a dancer who had practised the same dance routine all her life, which in fact was true. Nothing could make Ingrid change her routine of having a coffee first thing in the morning. It was her holy moment, just sitting down on the sofa and enjoying the smell of the warm coffee beans flowing through her body. If you could count drinking coffee as a religion then Ingrid was the preacher of that church.