Red Hot! (Sebastian Vettel)

46. Without Him

A/N: I just want to say that I have no idea about the laws in the U.S. regarding how long foreigners can stay, and regarding what work they can do, so for the purpose of this story I'm just going with my artistic licence. Also driver lineups mentioned are also using my artistic licence. Also, I'm not very happy with the chapter but it's only really a filler. I hope it's ok. 

December 2022

Libby pulled into the parking space and cut the engine.  This was it.  She'd arrived at the airport.  In a couple of hours she'd be in the air,  on the way to begin her new chapter.  

Part of her was excited.  Going travelling was something she'd always wanted to do, but she'd never thought she'd be going travelling to escape a broken life.

She knew she wouldn't be escaping the broken heart because she'd be taking Seb with her in it.  She swallowed, trying to hold back her tears. 

Reaching across to the passenger seat, she unzipped her backpack and took her phone out.   She saw she had multiple missed calls and several text messages.   Some were from Emmie, some from Joel, but the majority were from Seb.  She couldn't be doing with this.  Why couldn't he just leave her alone? He'd shattered her heart, why couldn't he just let her get on with her life?  

She deleted his texts, unread.   Then seeing he'd left her voicemail, she deleted that too.   If she heard his voice there was a high possibility she'd crumble and not get on that plane, and she needed to get on that plane for her own sanity.

She looked at his number for a few minutes, her thumb hovering over it.   Then she made her decision.  She blocked, then deleted his number.   A clean break was the only way forward. 

She decided she'd answer Emmie and Joel's texts once she'd checked in.   She climbed out of the car, retrieved her luggage from the boot and locked up.  Then she secured the key inside her backpack.  She'd already had the spare key couriered down to Sadie. 

She took a deep breath.  Are you sure this is what you really want? she asked herself.   She knew what she really wanted was for Seb to love her, for them to build a life together,  but that was never going to happen.  So this was the next best thing.   See America, have fun, and maybe start healing.  She slowly made her way across the car park towards her new life.

March 2023

Libby ducked as Daniela lobbed a tortilla chip at her head.   She laughed loudly, picking the chip up and throwing it back.  

"Stop acting like children!" the far too serious Helena chastised them.   Daniela stuck her tongue out at their friend.  

Libby picked another tortilla chip up out of the bowl on the table and shoved it into her mouth.    It was still breakfast time but there were bowls of tortilla chips on the table permanently in Ted's Diner.

She remained quiet as Daniela and Helena began bickering.  She knew they were just playing.  The two were extremely close.  Sometimes she felt like the odd one out.  She got on well enough with them both but she was the cuckoo in the nest.  

Travelling wasn't turning out quite the way she'd expected.  On the outside anyone would have thought she was having the time of her life.   On the inside she was dying a little bit more each day.   Thoughts of Seb were consuming her and she couldn't forget him.  She hadn't even begun to heal.  

She knew today was the first race of the new season.   Right this minute the cars would be on the grid in Bahrain preparing for the race.   Seb's Red Bull that the press had said was named Juicy Lucy, Scott and Lance's  Aston Martins.   She thought of all her former colleagues all psyched up and ready to start the season.  She missed it more than she'd thought possible.   She'd lost a lot more than just Seb when she'd chosen to leave.