Fifth Light (Sebastian Vettel)

Chapter 46: Sorry, Not Sorry

Heikki looked up as Casey leaned against the door-frame of the kitchen. He was sitting at the counter silently as Britta bustled around, making herself a slice of toast.

He could tell she'd just been crying, who knows for how long. It was an uncomfortable sight.

"Casey!" Britta interrupted his thoughts as she stepped towards her and pulled her into a one-armed hug.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

Casey nodded slowly. "I uhh, I need my passport so I can go home today."

"Okay." she replied gently.

"Have you spoken to him?" Casey asked, putting maximum effort into keeping her voice steady.

Britta nodded solemnly, "He called from his parent's house phone this morning. He's okay."

Casey's breathing hitched. That hurt. He'd called Britta, but not her.

She bit her lip and looked away, "Okay."

She turned away slowly and walked down the hallway into the lounge before sinking down into the cushions on a peaceful window seat to the side of the room. She gazed out at the grounds silently as the exhausting need to cry threatened to come over her again.

"Case?"

She looked up to see Heikki approaching her warily.

"Hey." she replied, shooting him a forced smile.

"Can I talk to you?"

She sighed, "Yeah."

She drew her knees up into her chest so Heikki could sit at the other end of the window seat. She felt like she saw a flash of relief cross his face as he sat down next to her.

"I just really wanted to tell you, I'm so sorry." he began.

"Did you know what you were doing in Austria? I mean, was it intentional?" She blurted out.

"Yes." he grimaced.

"But, why?" She asked, furrowing her brow.

Heikki sighed, "When you first turned up in the garage, I thought ...wow, this girl, I want to get to know her. You were uhh, ...you were my type."

She looked back out the window, suddenly feeling even more awkward as she continued listening to him.

"But before I knew it, you were out of reach. And instead of getting to know you, I got to spend all my time watching Seb get to know you. I must have had more to drink than I realised and I guess it brought back some residual ideas in my head. I just did it without even thinking. It was totally wrong. I should never have touched you. I'm so, so sorry Case." His voice was very low by the end.

She nodded and looked back at him, holding the gaze of his crystal clear blue eyes.

"I didn't know... how much you knew, or if you even remembered it happening." he trailed off.

"Hard to forget a performance like that." Casey said, the ghost of a smile flitting across her lips as Heikki looked away in embarrassment.

"But no, I had no idea who it was after I sat back down with Seb and realised it hadn't been him."

"Again, I'm just, really sorry."

"I forgive you," she replied softly, "Thanks for explaining. It helps."

Heikki shrugged and rubbed his face in his hands, "Least I can do at this point."

She sighed and turned her attention back out the window.