83. Negativity.

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Negative headlines, negative comments on social media, and negative thoughts filled Chloe's mind while outside the window, the weather was negative too. The rain was lashing down, interspersed with flashes of lightening and loud cracks and rumbles of thunder as the heatwave that Switzerland had been experiencing had finally given way. It was raining so hard, it was like a fog, swallowing up some of the lake and the mountains that she could usually see in the distance and erasing them from her view. Glancing down at her mug of coffee she realised it had probably gone cold by now and she raised it to her lips before pulling a face, yeah, it was stone cold. Had she really been stood there for that long? Sighing to herself she walked through into the kitchen, tipped her coffee down the sink and then took a seat back at the breakfast bar. Looking at the laptop screen the words leapt out at her. 'VETTEL MUST LEAVE FERRARI - SAYS MARKO', 'VETTEL'S MISTAKES EXPLAINED BY PROST' and 'VETTEL TOLD TO DITCH DISTRACTING PA GIRLFRIEND IF HE WANTS TO WIN AGAIN' were just a few of the headlines that had been published over the last few days. Social media had been even worse, as had the Italian press, with some stating that the German should quit at the end of the season, a year before his current contract runs out, some saying that he'd simply lost his way and lost his edge behind the wheel and some were saying that he hadn't been focused all season due to his new relationship. One of the comments on Twitter had said that if Chloe really loved Seb, she should quit her job and back off to let him concentrate on his career. "Shit." She muttered, leaning on her elbows she hid her face in her hands as she started to get upset. Seb had been a little subdued all week, brushing it off as work stress whenever she had asked him if he was ok. She knew what was really on his mind though, he'd probably seen some of the same articles that she had and had changed his mind about marrying her, and she couldn't blame him. Maybe he was rethinking their whole relationship. She'd been stunned but happy when her dad had drunkenly revealed that Seb wanted to propose, then she'd felt bad for him that his secret had been ruined, then guilty when she realised there were probably occasions when he was trying to pop the question and he'd been interrupted either by someone else or herself. She knew there was no use in thinking 'what if', she couldn't go back and make it happen all over again.

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"Have you two had a row?" Antti asked while massaging Seb's shoulders.

"No." Came the muffled, short reply back from the man laying on his front on the massage table.

"Only you've both been a bit...I don't know....off, all week." He paid particular attention to what felt like a knot beneath his fingers.

"We're fine. Put some music on." Another short, muffled reply. Antti felt Seb's shoulders suddenly tense, he could see it throughout his whole back, in a roundabout way he'd just been to told to shut up.

"Sure." He wandered over to the media player in the wall. "Anything in particular you want put on?"

"I'll do it." Seb suddenly got up and hopped off of the table.

"You're supposed to be relaxing and letting me check you over." Antti watched as Seb started flicking through the tracks. 'Let It Be' by The Beatles soon began to play, content with his choice he put it on repeat before getting back onto the massage table and laying back down on his front. Antti rolled his eyes and got back to work on Seb's still tense shoulders, his driver usually listened to this if he had alot on his mind, like he obviously had right now. After a few minutes and with the song starting again, Antti felt him relax and it made working on the knot he'd found much easier. Seb closed his eyes and tried to rid himself of the negative thoughts that filled his mind. He had no doubt in his mind that Chloe had found out about him wanting to propose. Seeing her stunned expression and David's guilty face when he'd come back from the restaurant on Sunday night had told him that. The range of emotions that he'd seen displayed on her face afterwards and her subdued, often contemplative mood, ever since had got him thinking that maybe marriage wasn't what she was ready for or even what she wanted. Maybe she was still too hung up on Michael? Maybe all the shit that was currently in the press had put her off. He'd asked her many times if she was ok and she'd brushed it off as hormones, a headache or just feeling tired. But then he'd been the same, lying and saying it was work stress when she'd asked him if he was ok. Antti's thoughts turned to Chloe as he worked, he'd been there when David had told her about Seb's proposal and he'd seen the stunned expression on her face, even he'd been stunned himself, he'd no idea at all that Seb was wanting to ask Chloe to marry him. But then she'd looked happy afterwards, ecstatic even, and going by Seb's face when he saw them both, it was obvious that he'd guessed what had gone on. Antti hadn't mentioned it to either of them, it wasn't his place to say anything, especially as he knew he was still under Seb's scrutiny where Chloe was concerned. As Seb lay there, listening to the song, he suddenly felt that he had to talk to his girlfriend, he wasn't entirely sure what he was going to say to her but he just had to see her, and now.

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