Rivalry of the Century ~ Ayrton Senna Love Story

Everything Changed

Morning of the British Grand Prix

Isabelle's POV

Today was race day so I was required to go already ready in a beige dress, but I needed to go talk with Ted first about something, I don't know what yet. As I entered the Toleman building I was greeted by someone I wish wasn't there, Ceco. He came up to me as I tried to go around him and he pushed me to the wall, grabbing my waist and kissing me forcefully. I try to push him off but he just grabs my arms and pins me there until he was suddenly ripped away from me. In shock and horror I slide to the ground, hand to my lips and tears welling in my eyes. I don't even pay attention to who pulled him off me, just my mind forcing flashbacks over and over again. It wasn't until a soft voice starts speaking to me that I can register where I was again and came back to reality,

"Belle come on, you need to get up." 

It was like everything was dark and I tried to focus on the voice calling to me fighting the nightmare that was trying to engulf me. The voice continued,

"Look at me, focus on me."

I finally look through my welled eyes as Ayrton looks right through them, I try to speak but can only whimper. He understands as he holds out his hands for something tangible for me to touch, he helps me stand but my shaking legs can't hold me up as I am about to hit the floor again. Ayrton catches me and sweeps one arm under my legs while the other supports my back, All I do is put my arms around his neck. Looking back as he walks away and seeing Ceco on the floor holding his nose. I don't bother looking back again as Ayrton turns corners and sets me down on a couch in a small room. He walks away and grabs me some water, sitting on the floor in front of me allowing me to keep my eyes on him. Letting me know I can trust him as he finally speaks,

"Are you ok to stay here? I need to go talk with Ted, but I don't want to leave if you need me."

I just nod my head, unable to speak over what happened, Ayrton stands and puts the jacket he was wearing on me as if he were hugging me. The smell comforts me as he walks away and I'm left alone, trying to focus on anything else, I think about Ayrton and what he said to me. He called me Belle, the way he spoke making it roll off his tongue in beautiful music. I didn't have to wait long, or at least it didn't feel like a long time but I was so distracted it felt like time was a secondary thing. When Ayrton returns he returns to crouching in front of me so he was more levelled with me.

"Ted wants to speak to you, if you're not ready that's ok and you don't need to go to the race."

He goes to stand back up as I was trying to speak silently battling in my head, I grab his hand before he turns away which I can tell shocks him.

"Please, don't leave me. I need you to stay, no one ever stays." I almost whisper out, not thinking about what I had just revealed to him.

He intertwines his hand with mine and pulls me along with him, making sure I was steady before going with me to Ted's office where I see there are a few other people here including Kelly. Ted had a very sullen look on his face and I already knew what had happened.

"So Isabelle, we've had some things brought to our attention and we were going to talk to you about it to see if they were true, but since we know what has just occurred there's no need for your testimony. We are just going to discus what will happen from here."

I only nod my head not daring to speak as I sit down, Ayrton staying behind me but I can still feel his presence. 

"We are changing the contract with your permission so you would be a commissioned model, not affiliated necessarily but still within the team. We have already terminated Johnny's contract with the team and he will not be allowed back. On behalf of everyone at Toleman, we are very sorry for the actions of our driver and sincerely ask for your forgiveness. As this has occurred here I have decided to also include an extra bonus for the damages this has caused you."

I look at him in the end and I go to speak, before I feel a hand on my shoulder slowly, I don't have to look to know it was Ayrton telling me I didn't need to say anything.

"Thank you Monsieur, I will attend this race to complete my part of the contract but I must say I will have to part ways with the company. I no longer feel safe and this covers my exit clause, thank you for this time and opportunity."

Ted just folds his fingers together and nods his head slowly, clearly understanding and accepting what I was saying even though I knew he was disappointed in the outcome, maybe even ashamed. On autopilot I stand, put my hand on Ayrton's shoulder as if to say goodbye and leave the room. I go to a small cafe before the race starts and try to calm down, watching the people walk the streets as I stare in the sky.

British Grand Prix

I held my breath before stepping out of the car and putting a smile on my face, determined to get through the day without incident. I walk calmly through the paddock, feeling a bit safer knowing that Ceco would no longer be in my life. As I walk along the garages I see Marlene and Niki in the distance, as they see me I almost run into their arms, trying not to cry. They clearly understand that something is wrong, but don't ask as they know prying doesn't work with me. I just hold them for a long time before I hear someone behind me,

"Isabelle, I'm glad that you decided to come. If you want to stay with Marlene I'll let the team know." I turn behind me, knowing that voice better than my own at this point.

"It's alright, I'm coming. I'll talk to you after the race I promise, good Luck Niki." I say kissing his cheek and hugging Marlene tightly.

I walk away with Ayrton his hand light on my middle back, almost in a protective manner letting the entire paddock know that there was someone there. And everyone was watching but it didn't matter to me as I looked up at Senna, who was only focusing on the path in front of us.

We arrive at Toleman where everyone was bustling around getting ready for the race, I turn to Senna and hold my hand out to his cheek before confidently and firmly saying before I let go and walk away,

"Good luck Ayrton, I know you. You commit yourself to such a level where there is no compromise. You give everything you have, everything, absolutely everything. So go out there and give everything you can, you can do more than you think. Don't hold back."

Third Person POV

Senna stood in shock as Isabelle walked away from him not being able to look back at her as he touched his cheek where her hand once was. Something struck as he had realized that she said that in Portuguese, she had been learning to be fluent ever since she had met him. He thought more about what she had said, she saw him, saw how much dedication he put into his craft. That his racing was who he was. She was unlike any other woman he had met, she wasn't trying to hold him back or ask him for more than what he was. He was a driver and she was pushing him. Race time was now and he had to do his job, he grabbed his helmet and got ready, heading for the car. 

This was a race unlike any before, besides Monaco, he was determined to prover her right so he gave everything he had into this race. Before he knew it he had crossed the finish line, he had gotten third. It wasn't first but to everyone around him it might as well had been since he was in a Toleman, nobody expected him to be able to make podium here.

The one person that believed was the same one with a smile on her face as they announced the drivers on podium. She didn't want to make any fuss or bother anyone so she left right after, ignoring that she said she would talk to Marlene and Niki. Once Isabelle had gone to the hotel she went to sleep, exhausted from the events that happened all in one day. While she did that, Ayrton was on the podium looking to the girl with the curly hair who had changed everything for him.