Second Chances

Strangers in the night

I got back to my room and sat on the edge of the bed. All the way back from Sophia's hotel, thoughts were whirling around in my mind, and I was becoming more and more angry. How dare she come and tell me to stay away? I'd done more than that over the last few days. I had done nothing to let her think I wanted Kimi back. I hadn't even spoken to him. Why would she think that? I pulled off my dress and heels, still a little shaky from the encounter. Maybe I shouldn't have said the thing about Her watching Kimi around me. But I couldn't help it. I wasn't going to let that girl speak to me like that and not have something of my own to say. I just hoped Kimi wouldn't hate me even more than he already did. But why did I care right? I was sworn away from him, whether I wanted to be or not. What the hell was going on? Had the paddock changed into a whole gaggle of children since I'd gone? Or was Kimi just dating one? Seemed that way...

Deciding not to let my thoughts fester, I pulled on my leggings and an oversized hoodie and headed on out of the hotel for a late night walk. I pulled the hood over my head as I stepped out into the cool midnight air, headphones hugging my ears as the beats I had chosen drifted in. It was as quiet as expected on the streets, almost all of the teams retiring to bed before now, preparing for the day ahead.

........

I was walking back towards the hotel Seb and Soph were staying in when a commotion out of the lobby area startled me. Unexpected shouting caused me to pull my attention in the hotels direction. I slowed my walk as I saw the unforgettably familiar figure of a certain Finn storm out of the hotel lobby. A female racing after him. I couldn't help but turn down my music a little. Raised voices poured Finnish words into the air around them, of course by now mine was totally rusty, only making out the odd word. I watched a little seeing them bickering with each other, it was uncomfortable to see. I'd never seen this Kimi before, and I was glad of it. He yelled something at her and she turned and ran off back inside.

I paused my footsteps right then, glancing across the road, unsure of whether to cross or turn back in the opposite direction as he stood in the middle of the path rubbing his face with his palm. I couldn't help but feel my heartstrings threaten to break seeing him like that. What was I doing? I had to turn back, before he saw me. "Bella?"

I froze there on the spot. Hearing him say my name after all this time made all the hairs on my body stand on end. Inside I frantically argued with myself, should I pretend not to have heard him? I couldn't do that, could I? "Arabella" I heard it again. That awkward voice, that accent that always turned me to jelly. My shoulders dropped and I shuffled my feet under me, turning to lock eyes with those ice blue orbs that would forever pierce my heart.

"Kimi..." we just stood there, a few feet away from one another, in silence just looking at each other. His eyes were softer than they were yesterday when I saw him. His expression too seemed different. I swallowed, forgetting we were in the middle of the street for a second. "I better be going..." I said, turning around to walk away. "Wait" I stopped in my tracks again, head down as I stared at my converse covered feet. What could he possibly have to say to me?

.........

"Bella please" he sighed again, his voice low and a little gravelly. I should just turn around, but I couldn't. I darent. I just froze in my spot, like I did when we first saw each other again. "I am sorry" He said softly, I knew I had to make myself look at him now.

He stood there, facing me, only a few feet away, a pair of retro black puma trainers on his feet, long denim shorts and a black hoodie covering his top half, hood over his head, hiding his face slightly, matching mine; his phone in one hand, an un-lit cigarette in the other. I looked to his face, his eyes looked red and sore, a somber look on his features I hadn't seen in a while. "Why are you sorry?" I finally chose to speak. He briefly looked to the pavement and back to me. "The trouble in the bar. Tonight. The other night" he shrugged. I shrugged at him, "you shouldn't apologise for other people's actions" I replied, pretty much emotionless. He nodded back and looked back to the floor. "It isn't right. It's not attractive" he mumbled, but I heard every word. "No it's not" I agreed, lifting my head to look back at him. We were still a few feet apart, neither of us daring to move any closer. "And I'm not doing anything but my job Kimi." I told him, "she doesn't like me being here, fine. I get it. But she's gonna have to put up with it." I added.  "I have told her this." He replied with a sigh, I could see he was worn down. He didn't deserve this, he wasn't a bad person by any means. I just wanted him to be happy. "Well I guess I'll have to stay away more than I already am" I sighed, feeling I was being punished for something yet I didn't know what it was. Kimi's eye darted up to mine. "Goodnight Kimi" I said, turning away once more, biting the inside of my cheek, trying desperately to hold back the tears threatening to pour. "Wait!" He called again, why must he do this to me?! "Is that my hoodie?" He asked before I turned around. A smile burst onto my face. I turned my head to look over my shoulder at him, "maybe" I smiled, seeing a smirk form on his gorgeous features and then I turned back and walked off back to my hotel.