Heartdriven

22. Alice, Sweet Alice

Running late for FP2, Sebastian was sprinting down the paddock. He had dived into his work since the encounter from the day before. It was not going to distract him. He had an important task at hand: the championship.
It had gotten pretty intense between Red Bull and Ferrari, and they had to make sure to come out on top, even if Mark wasn't much of a help.
As Sebastian was nearing the end of the paddock he slowed down, walking past the Ferrari garage. Noticing Alice in the back, getting her equipment ready for the session, he walked in... just curious.
"Hi Alice, have you taken some good photographs today?" She turned around and her face lit up at the recognition.
"It was a busy session, yes," she picked up her camera and started showing him some of the shots.
"I see you haven't lost it," he smiled, looking at the concentration in her eyes more than the photos themselves.
"I kept myself busy." Alice felt Sebastian's eyes on her, but kept herself from being drawn in, shutting off her camera and putting its strap over her shoulder.
"How did you spend your summer?" He stood with his head slightly tilted towards her, as she zipped up her camera bag, and put another additional smaller camera bag over her other shoulder.
"Like this. Photographing... I got a job for a local newspaper, sporting events and such. That was actually—" Alonso walked up next to Alice, looking at Sebastian with a spark in his eye, "Ah, I see we got a spy in here."
Sebastian took a step back, "I best be going again." Alonso walked towards Sebastian, as if to escort him out of the garage.
"Yes, Sebastian, you should know better than this. You are not allowed in here."
Sebastian looked at Alice behind Alonso, before leaving the garage, her back turned.

Finishing the day off with a debrief to set the car up for qualifying, Sebastian did feel himself getting a bit distracted. He couldn't afford to have his mind elsewhere, but the team had to get going for the night, and he had to leave, with no more work left to do.
It was dark outside as Sebastian walked down the lonely paddock. It was usual business that he was always one of the last to leave the debriefs, but he liked the quiet, when he could just appreciate the place. Near the end of the paddock, he saw someone in red sitting alone at a bench under a street light across the Toro Rosso garage. Of course it was her.
He sat next to her without saying a word, and she quickly glanced at him, "I'm just waiting for Daniel."
They sat quiet for a few moments, before Sebastian broke the silence; "How did Alonso get you the job then?"
She put her hand on her camera bag in her lap. "I mentioned the newspaper I worked for?"
Sebastian nodded at her, "Yes, sporting events and such."
Alice smiled but didn't look at him. "Fernando hosted a karting event and the newspaper sent me on the assignment... given my experience. He saw my photos and the ones I took in Monaco. And that was about it."
Sebastian sat back and looked at the Toro Rosso garage with her. "That was it, huh." And they sat quiet, again.
He had many things he wanted to say to her, but right now he couldn't figure out how to put them into words. He had respected her wish not to continue their relationship, but had not expected her to show up in his life again. He felt unprepared. But sitting here now, next to her, he just wanted to be close to her.
He reached over and put his hand on top of hers on the camera bag, she pulled it away and got up from the bench.
"Daniel. Are you ready to go?"
Sebastian looked at Daniel who put a fist bump towards him, "Hiya, Seb, how you doing, man?", Sebastian returning the fist bump.
"All good, Daniel. You two have fun tonight," he smiled at them, strained, and exited the paddock.

Back at his hotel room, Sebastian was looking over some data, but he was just thinking about her. She was actually here, but she was working for the opposition. How was he going to get close to her again?
She looked good in red... the strap of her camera lining down her chest, highlighting the shape of her curves... he had sat so close to her on the bench, he could smell her. He had almost forgotten... the desire to bury his face in her thick hair... running his fingers over her soft skin... feeling the warmth of her body... the taste of her.
Sebastian took a shower — a cold shower — in attempt to clear his mind. His mind was clear. And it was all her.
Alice. Sweet Alice.