The Race Director's Daughter (Sebastian Vettel)

58. Sweet Dream or a Beautiful Nightmare

"Leah, please just talk to the man. He messages you every day. Several times a day!" Tamara said. Leah was sat cross legged on the bed. It was now Saturday evening. She hadn't seen Seb or acknowledged his attempts to contact her since she'd walked out on him Wednesday night.

"I'm not ready Tamara. I can't see him. I just can't. He kept something so big from me. The fact that he and Daniel spoke about me that way so recently...I could maybe understand it in the beginning, but after Monza?"

"But how are you going to sort it out if you won't talk to him? He loves you. You love him."

"Which is why it hurts so damn much. How would you feel if the man you loved was talking to his friend about sharing you?"

"I get it. I do. But he also said he'd never try to get you do something you didn't want to do."

"I couldn't bear the thought of him touching another woman. How could he even think of another man touching me?"

"Look, why don't you come to the track tomorrow? You can't spend another day sat here alone in this hotel room." She saw Leah about to protest. "You don't have to see him. You can watch from the Paddock Club, meet us on our breaks."

Leah nodded although she doubted she would actually go. It just felt easier to agree so Tamara stopped going on about it.

"Joel's been asking about you. He's worried. He wants to know what's going on. I told him you and Seb had a little disagreement. Don't worry, I didn't say what about."

"I'll have to text him. I just... everything has been so overwhelming."

"I know sweetheart. I know. But please, consider hearing Seb out. He turns up at the office every day asking about you. He's heartbroken Leah. He does genuinely love you."

"I'll think about it."

"Good. Now are you sure you won't come out to dinner with us?"

"I'm sure." She didn't want to risk bumping into Seb. She was scared of seeing him again. Scared that she'd take one look at him and crumble. She missed him so much. It would be so easy to give in and take him back, but that would be as good as saying that it was ok to do what he'd done, and it wasn't. "I'm really tired. I'm going to try and get some sleep."

After Tamara had left to meet Jenna Leah climbed into bed. She hadn't been lying when she'd told Tamara that she was really tired. She hadn't been sleeping well at all since she'd walked out on Seb. She could barely keep her eyes open. It was barely half past seven but she found herself nodding off. Finally, sleep caught up with her.

***

Seb laid on the bed staring up at the ceiling. He didn't know what else to do. She wouldn't answer his calls. She wasn't replying to his texts. She hadn't come to the track at all. How was he meant to make it up to her if she didn't let him try? 

He knew that he was on the verge of losing the best thing that had ever happened to him and he was clueless about how to stop her from ending things permanently.  He'd apologised.  He'd told her he loved her.  What more could he do?

He picked up his phone and tried once again. 

Seb: Leah baby, please talk to me.  I'm so sorry, I need to see you.  I'm going out of my mind here.  I need you.  I love you so much 💔

He put his phone down on the bedside table and waited. Five minutes passed. Then ten. Then fifteen. After half an hour he had come to conclusion that yet another attempt to talk to her had failed.