Reviewing priorities - Sebastian Vettel

13. High tension in Montreal

Hello everyone! Thanks for, still, keeping up with this story! I hope you are enjoying it and let me know if there's any aspects of Valeria, or anyone else, you'd like me to explore more :) Happy reading!

PS: I wrote this chapter when Seb announced his separation from Ferrari and you can definitely see that at the end of the chapter. I, for one, am still heartbroken and not over it. Dunno about you! 

Valeria had just arrived at the paddock in Montreal when she was stopped by Charles.

'Can I borrow you, please, Vale?' he asked.

They hadn't spoken since the "incident" after qualifying, Seb had tried to convince her to speak to him, but she had told him she had done nothing wrong.

'sure, Mr. Leclerc. Is there an issue with the PR schedule?' she asked, opening the schedule on her work phone.

'No, Vale, I need to speak to you. Not work you' he told her. 'I'm sorry. I acted like a...'

'complete and absolute dick?' she concluded for him.

'Yeah' he agreed. 'I'm really sorry' he repeated.

'it's OK. I have known you for a while, I wasn't surprised. I know you were annoyed and I was just a red shirt. Like in star trek'

'What?' he asked, confused.

'The red ones are the disposable ones' she explained, laughing.

'nerd' he told her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. 'we good?'

'Yeah, I guess' she shrugged.

'Thank you' he kissed her cheek and walked in the motorhome. Valeria turned around to see a camera, she gave it a little wink and walked in herself. She had decided to embrace the attention, like Pietro had suggested back in Barcelona. If she didn't care, they would have stopped too. The rumours about hers and Sebastian's relationship had gained her some social media following. Not that she tweeted or used Instagram much, but she noticed people had started taking an interest in her a lot more.

She grabbed a cup of coffee from Andrea and followed the two drivers and their assistants to the driver's briefing and first press conference. She sat at the back, replying to work emails, not paying much attention to what was happening around her. Everything had become second nature. She looked up, as she hears the journalists chuckle. Dan must have said something funny, she thought. They walked out not long after, Valeria pulled her sunglasses down and started checking with Britta and Silvia for the next engagements.

'Taz, wait!' she heard Daniel call her. She turned around.

'What's up, my Aussie friend?' she smiled.

'you're in a good mood! I'm glad. I got you a present' he smiled.

Valeria opened the little box, curiously. 'it's a waterproof case!' he smiled.

'clever' she laughed. 'I'll make sure to have it on me next time I have a mental breakdown. Thank you'

'Anytime, Taz. That's what friends are for' he smiled. Since Monaco, he and Valeria had started chatting a lot more. Dan felt like the only way to help her let Jules go was being there for her to keep the good memories and send away the bad. He hoped he wasn't stepping on Seb's toes, but the two seemed to have come out of the experience stronger than before. They seemed like a good couple.

'I have a present for you too, but it's back in my room' Seb whispered.

'Seb!' she laughed.