Finding Immy (Sebastian Vettel)

Downward Spiral

Immy stood watching Seb as he listened to whatever his mother was saying on the phone.   Something was wrong.  She could tell by his expression. 

"Yes Mother.  We'll be straight home."  He ended the call and put his phone back on the windowsill. 

"What is it?" Immy asked. "Is it Noah?"  Seb shook his head. 

"Get into your clean clothes.  We have to go back.  I'll explain on the way."

Immy opened her mouth to argue, but seeing the serious look on Seb's face she thought better of it.  

She took her leggings off and went over to the clothes she had arrived in, which were draped over the side of the bath.

After she'd put them on she went  into the bedroom. Seb had changed back into his jeans and navy blue hoodie.

"Seb, what's wrong? Is it your parents?"

"I said I'll explain on the way back. You ready?"

She nodded and followed him out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

Seb set the alarm as they went outside. They got into the car and were soon on their way back.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Immy asked. Seb sighed. He knew he had to tell her but he was scared about how it would affect her. After the events of the day before this may send her over the edge.

"Your parents."

"My parents? What do they have to do with anything?"

"They've sold a story about you. I don't know what they've said. Mother didn't say, just that I should ring Britta as soon as possible for advice."

Immy's heart sank. She knew anything her parents said about her would be vile. Why was this happening to her? Was she that worthless that she couldn't have anything good in her life?

"Immy, talk to me," Seb said, concerned by her silence. He'd expected tears. "Immy?"

Immy couldn't bring herself to speak. She took her phone out of her pocket and googled her name.

The article came up straight away. The headline said "The Truth about Immy."

She read through the article, not knowing whether to cry or rage. It was full of lies, but she had expected that. Did her parents really hate her that much?

"Immy, are you reading it? Come on baby, don't let it get to you." She realised that she was shaking like a leaf.

"The bastards. They've hung me out to dry! How could they do this to me? Their own flesh and blood!" She began crying. Then to Seb's horror she clenched her hand into a fist and punched the side of her door hard, not once, not twice but three times.

He slammed on the brakes and stopped at the side of the country lane they were driving down. He quickly took his belt off, undid Immy's belt and pulled her into his arms. "I'll kill those bastards," he fumed. He stroked her hair, whispering words of love as he tried to calm her down. After several minutes her sobs finally abated. Seb released her and picked her hand up. Her knuckles were swollen, and purple bruises were appearing already.

"Shit Immy, your hand..."

"They made out I abandoned them Seb. They told everyone I got pregnant at seventeen, that I got drunk most weekends and slept around, that I fell pregnant by Joel. That I had an abortion even though they begged me not to! How could they? They said I left home without telling them where I was going, I suppose that bit was true, but they could have found me if they'd wanted to. They never tried. I was seventeen, pregnant and terrified. All I ever wanted was them to love me but they never showed me an ounce of love. I was just a burden to them. They said they spent years not knowing if I was dead or alive. They said they finally got in contact with me after you called there looking for me. That Mum has terminal pancreatic cancer and they begged me to help them pay for a new experimental drug but that I refused and said she could die for all I care."