D E G R A D E | m . Verѕтappen

3| When the light seeps in

S. Barlowe

My heart was still beating so fast when I saw him, he still had those same beautiful blue eyes but they seemed sad nowadays. It might come off as narcissistic but I know it was because of me. Still, I steeled my heart like I always do. Leaving him was for the best, and it did him a world of good because he achieved everything he wanted and more.

I smiled at Astraea who I'd tucked into my bed and kissed her on the forehead, yet she had this determined look on her face telling me she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. "Astraea, you need to sleep, I have a big day tomorrow at Free Practice and I can't have you falling asleep at the paddock," I scolded, "Now do Bri a favour and close your eyes then doze off to dream world." She shook her head and said, "Not until you tell me why THE Max Verstappen was staring so much at you during that press conference?"

"You are so nosy, where did you even get that from? Certainly not from me or mama," I teased and she stuck her tongue out then said, "Are you going to tell me or am I going to have to ask the guy tomorrow?" I rolled my eyes and said, "Some things are just none of your business star. I'll explain to you when you're older, for now you have to sleep or do you want me to take Mr. Wallace away."

Her eyes widened in horror as she clutched her bunny plushie with a charming bow tie and said, "No! How dare you Bri?! Mr. Wallace would be so sad without me." I booped her nose and said, "Then stop being nosy."

"Okay fine, I'll sleep...but you owe me a bag of Reese's pieces for my silence," she said as she happily dozed to sleep. I need a drink.

I quietly dressed myself up and left the hotel room hoping that a stiff drink might help me forget. I chose a simple yellow slip dress from my wardrobe, my go-to for when I have to slip into some unknown bar and drink my sorrows away to forget the decision I made 10 years ago. And I decided that I need to check out that new jazz bar that just opened up here in Bahrain.

The place was bustling as I expected, my heart pounding as I heard the smooth blues of the trumpets. And just like any other bar I've been to, I always run into a familiar face. Long dark-brown hair cascading into waves, small figure and a sadness in her eyes.

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No One's POV

"Didn't think I'd run into a fellow driver here, now what are you trying to forget Jasmine?," Sabrina commented as she sat next to her, hoping to provide some comfort. Her eyes widened as she said, "Sabrina, hey! Umm well, I don't know if I should even be telling you this but I've finished like 5 whiskey sours so I don't think I can stop myself."

"You seem to still be in coherent thought," the blonde driver further commented and she shook her head, a glassy look on her eyes, "With what I'm about to tell you, you're not going to think so. If you're wondering why I'm here drowning my sorrows and hissing at all men possible, it's because the one man I want can't help but only see me as a friend."

"Ah yes, unrequited love, wish I had that problem instead," Sabrina said as she beckoned the bartender then said, "A scotch on the rocks please."

"Damn, that bad?," Jasmine said with a sheepish smile on her face, "I wouldn't wish my situation on anybody else but the fact you'd be wishing for mine, how bad is yours?"

"I've been keeping a lot of secrets for a decade now," Sabrina confessed as she downed the scotch with barely even a wince with the bitterness, "And the first few years, it's easy, but then questions come up and suddenly a small lie becomes a behemoth, the size of a fucking continent." Jasmine furrowed her brows and nodded, unsure of what to say so she just ended up saying, "I take it, it's something you don't want to talk about."