vettelsvee - Tumblr blog

vettelsvee · 7 hours

Text

THIS IS THE LEAST I COULD DO | Sebastian Vettel

f1 masterlist | history series masterlist | season 1

summary: sebastian is back on track… sort of. diana is back as well —better said, she’s welcomed to red bull racing as a race engineer intern

word count: 4716

warnings: a not so good behavior from certain person towards diana. i remind you that this is a fictional work and everything represented here is just pure fiction.

taglist: [@theseerbetweenus @annewithaneofthegreengable @vincentvanshoe @formulaonebuff] if you wanna be tagged in each part just tell me in the comments <3

a/n: welcome back to history! hope you like this season even though is not my fave (for now, 2010 season is my top 1), but the ending is 📈

feedback, as well as reblogs and comments, are truly appreciated!

2023

"The first time I met Diana was in Jerez, in February 2009, during the presentation of the RB5. Sebastian and I had to present the car we would be using that season and she had come for a first contact with the team. I swear Seb talked to me about that intern too many times to the point I wanted to shut him up," explained the Australian, laughing. "Do you remember when, because of you, I thought Diana was your girlfriend? And then I asked Christian and he said yes!"

Sebastian Vettel remembered that as if it had happened a couple of minutes ago. His obsession with the young woman who was now his wife grew during the 2008 winter break, even though they had no contact beyond the messages they shared on that fateful Christmas Eve. When the German found out from Britta that the girl would be joining them in the Andalusian city, and no matter how much he tried not to care, he couldn't help but wish the day would come soon to see Diana Wagner again.

"You talked about her all the time, Seb," Webber continued. "It was normal for me to think she was Hanna."

"I know, I know," the German insisted in a playful tone, hitting the older man's arm. "Leave it alone and focus on what we have to talk about! I'm hungry and sleepy, so you better wrap this all up as soon as you can."

[...]

2009 February 9th

Jerez, Spain

It was February and Sebastian, who seemed to have paid no attention during Geography classes in high school and was apparently unaware of the climatic differences between countries, was surprised at how the sun shone powerfully in the clear sky over the city of Jerez. He was eternally grateful to be able to enjoy much milder temperatures than those in his native Germany, where winter was potentially colder than in the south of Spain.

The two Red Bull Racing drivers arrived in a golf cart driven by a circuit worker to an area near the circuit offices, from where they would depart to carry out that presentation that Sebastian was not looking forward to doing.

This time they weren’t alone but accompanied by Karina, a Colombian woman in her early thirties who worked as the team's public relations from possibly that moment since Sebastian, despite being the rookie, had heard of some of its members. The woman, however, was totally unknown to him no matter how hard he tried to remember.

The fresh air blowing through the city of Cadiz was hitting them directly, something to be thankful for as sweat was starting to invade their bodies due to nerves, especially the younger one. After all, it was his first contact being, what many people considered, the young man who would lead Red Bull Racing to success.

Red Bull Racing’s chosen one.

To say that Sebastian felt pressure from the expectations that fans, journalists, and especially those not so admirers of the Formula 1 world who tended to criticize, had placed on him was an understatement.

The moment they stepped out of the cart, that internal tingling increased. They were barely taking their few belongings when they were already surrounded by the press, and as they approached the room where they would meet with Christian Horner, who would come out with them on stage, the media, with their cameras and microphones ready to capture any situation to manipulate or sell it as they saw fit, surrounded them overwhelmingly, as if they were criminals.

Webber seemed used to so many people paying attention to him, although he felt a little annoyed by the treatment they were receiving. Vettel, on the other hand, felt like he was losing air incredibly surprisingly, and all he wanted in those moments was for a bubble to surround him and take him out of there. His anxiety was escalating, but all he did to cope with the situation as best he could was to wonder if he was really prepared to face fame in such a way.

If the season had just begun, he didn't want to imagine how that same situation would unfold a few months later, when half of the calendar was complete.

"I think they know us a little around here, don't they?" the younger of the two commented ironically, turning his head to Webber as he tried to put aside his intrusive thoughts.

Mark just nodded, sharing the same opinion as the boy. The Australian was much more serious than him and, at that moment, he wasn't in the mood for much joking, although deep down he felt sorry for the pale face and droopy eyes of the German. That event was not only important for Red Bull but also for them, especially for himself. Since it had been announced that Sebastian Vettel would replace David Coulthard at the end of his very first full season as a rookie, the pressure had started to overwhelm him incredibly.

Flanked by the security that had been hired for the event, Sebastian and Mark, along with the woman accompanying them, managed to navigate the growing crowd of journalists that began to accumulate in the vicinity of the venue. As they got closer and closer to the room where they would be expected, the intensity of the flashes and the impertinent voices faded away. As soon as they arrived they came across a too nervous Christian and a much calmer Britta.

"Damn, you finally made it."

The blue team director headed towards the drivers as soon as they crossed the door and the room closed.

"Were you lost or something?" the British insisted.

"No, no," explained Vettel somewhat agitated. "The press had set us up big time."

"Don't overdo it, Sebastian," Mark replied to the younger one. "This is nothing compared to what you might encounter after a race."

Christian listened carefully to the absurd dialogue the two teammates were having, trying to extract some importance from it that wasn't just a stupid argument for the reporters. As soon as he got tired of them his posture stiffened, his features became serious, and he didn't hesitate for a second to interrupt them when he saw on his wristwatch that they should have been on stage five minutes ago.

"Okay," the man began, filling the room with a sepulchral sound. "You arrived later than expected, and your nonsense conversation made us delay everything even more. Besides, I don't think Karina has explained anything to you along the way, so I'll have to tell you now, clearly and concisely," he added.

His gaze turned to the Colombian, who until that moment had been talking animatedly with Roeske. Quickly, the younger one stood up and adopted a much more serious posture, with her shoulders raised, her back completely straight, and her arms static, as if she were a figure from Ancient Egypt, totally hieratic except for a smile that she couldn't help but let escape from her lips. There was no need for any indication from Christian to know that she had to explain in detail to Sebastian and Mark what each of their roles would be in the presentation:

"Okay, guys, the presentation will be divided in three main parts. First, we'll have a brief press conference where you will be answering, together with Christian, some general questions about your expectations for the upcoming season. Then, we'll move on to a photo session with the cars, where you'll be posing for photographers and anyone who feels like seeing you," Sebastian, at this last part, added a disgusted grimace that was suppressed from a distance by his public relations. "We'll finish with Mark," she pointed to the Australian, "announcing that the preseason tests will be taking place this very week, and with Sebastian," she now addressed the blonde, "explaining that today, exclusively, you'll be driving the RB5 for the first time."

Both drivers listened carefully to everything, without putting any impediment, and nodding constantly to make sure Horner saw them taking it all in.

"During the press conference you have to be careful with what you say," Karina continued, and Sebastian felt that the message was directed especially at him. Did the girl know something about his constant screw-ups with the media? "Avoid any kind of controversial comment that could be interpreted negatively and, above all, those that could be misunderstood."

"Your answers should focus on the team and, especially, on what we expect for this upcoming year," Christian included. "Remember that there are many cameras and microphones recording everything, and if the press already misinterprets and questions everything we say..."

"It's better to tread carefully," Webber interrupted.

Sebastian, listening to all that, realized he wasn't prepared for any of what he was about to experience, but he would do his best to do the best job of presenting himself there, in front of all those people, and give the best version of himself not only for himself but for the people he worked with.

The tension increased when one of the Red Bull members who decided to come to Spain opened the door, letting the noise of the flashes penetrate the walls of the room. Christian, Mark and Sebastian were about to go out on stage, and as much as they were focused on the role they would have to play shortly, Sebastian was startled when he felt a tiny hand take his wrist.

Britta knew her client was the focus that day, and she didn't want him to make any mistakes that could not only cost him his newly acquired job but also his reputation.

"I need you to listen to me carefully," her voice was quiet, but completely firm, to the point that even she herself was alarmed. Her hand was still holding Sebastian's, and for the moment, she had no intention of letting go. "Don't mention Diana under any circumstances. Understood?"

The boy frowned, surprised by Roeske's warning. He knew he had to be careful about what he said, but he didn't expect such a direct warning, especially when it was about Di.

He loved Britta, but he hated the version that had appeared in recent months: the one that thought the only thing that mattered to him was the Austrian even though, in a way, she was right.

"Why, according to you, can't I talk about Diana?" Vettel replied cautiously. "Besides, I was only going to talk about the team that I know nothing about and the upcoming season, which I don't expect anything from."

The German sighed and, after lowering her head to gather some patience and calm before facing the boy again, she looked at him seriously.

"Sebastian, I know you perfectly," she revealed. "You're a big mouth, and when it comes to Wagner, you tend to say more than you should. By the way, I totally forgot: important: Diana’s coming today."

The guy, who had his feet supported only by his heels, stumbled and was about to bump into a table next to him. He hoped his “workmate” would be in Spain, but he hadn't thought it would be possible for her to stop by the RB5 presentation.

"Diana is going to be at the presentation? Here, today, at the event? Really?"

The young man tried to keep calm as best he could, but his stammering showed otherwise. Britta responded to him seriously, explaining that Christian Horner mentioned it that very morning just before Webber and he arrived.

"I don't know why he didn't tell anyone before," Roeske confessed. "Maybe he wanted to avoid distractions... So please: be as discreet as possible when she appears, and do not mention her name under any circumstances. Remember: try to think with your brain, not with your dick."

Seb nodded, laughing and processing the information. While it was true that he already had his own limits set, and he knew he had to be careful, the news of the Austrian being there, paying attention to everything he said, took him completely by surprise.

"Don't worry, Britta," Vettel managed to say. "I won't say anything. Thanks for letting me know."

The PR smiled at him conspiratorially. Before the boy left the room, she hugged him, and she didn't let him leave until she reminded him that he was the best and, again, to focus on Red Bull Racing and the months ahead.

As soon as he stepped onto the improvised stage, the cheers were so loud that Diana, who was approaching the circuit entrance, almost drowned in the deafening noise coming from inside.

As the girl approached the circuit entrance, the growing crowd of journalists and motorsport enthusiasts was overwhelming. She knew perfectly well what it was like to be anxious for the launch of a new car, and the RB5 had caused a stir throughout Formula 1. The cameras moved back and forth at a breathtaking speed along with the flashes. You could even hear some reporters asking questions to the people around the Jerez Circuit.

The bleached blonde, still queuing up to access the event, saw Christian Horner chatting animatedly with Mark Webber and the German who had brought so many smiles to her face every time she reread his messages.

As soon as she crossed the gates and made her way to the area reserved for the Formula 1 team, she was pursued by one of the security guards who was strictly controlling access.

"I'm sorry, miss," the man explained, tapping Diana's shoulder somewhat aggressively. "Without a credential or an invitation, I can't allow you access. If you'd be so kind as to come with me..."

Diana felt a wave of frustration washing over her. Quickly, she took off her backpack from her shoulders and opened it aggressively to search fiercely for something to corroborate that she was part of Red Bull. At the same time, the man's patience, standing there completely upright with his arms crossed, began to fade.

Again, the Austrian looked towards the stage, and saw the three men chatting animatedly, pointing at the cars under their feet.

Time was running out quickly and, with it, Diana's chances of being able to do something.

Without thinking twice, the girl closed her backpack and slung it onto her back as quickly as she could to, at that moment, start running. She didn't stop to look back, trying to dodge everyone present and the security guards who had started chasing her as best she could. Every step she took was a reminder that she needed to improve her physical condition.

In the midst of the chase and her nervousness, Wagner began to hear someone calling her by her last name. After stopping and taking a quick look around to try to figure out where the female voices were coming from, she could see Britta Roeske, a little way to her left, waving her arms, trying to get her to approach. Diana heaved a sigh of relief and, relaxing her pace, approached her savior.

"At last, Diana!" the German exclaimed, opening her arms to hug her. "Horner and I didn't know if you would make it on time."

"Yes, I'm sorry," the girl began to explain in perfect Spanish without realizing that Roeske wasn't understanding her. "It was my fault. I thought the taxi ride from my hotel to here would be faster, but..."

"Honey, can you talk to me in German, please? I would even settle for English."

Diana lowered her head when she realized she had been speaking in Spanish the whole time and, trying not to die of embarrassment, repeated, now in German, the reason for her delay, all thanks to the incredible traffic jam that had formed a few streets before reaching the circuit.

At the same time she listened to Vettel's PR, her eyes began to wander towards the stage, where the drivers and the team principal were chatting animatedly and trying to interact as much as they could with the audience. Her heart began to beat strongly when she heard Sebastian say that he was very excited for the opportunity they had given him months ago to be part of Red Bull; she felt the same way, and it was all thanks to the guy who was giving that speech.

"Wow, it looks like Christian had a luxury skiing vacation," Diana commented when she heard the story Roeske had told her about Horner's trip to Switzerland. "I wish I did."

The German's gaze became completely curious at the girl's last words. Her instinct of something being wrong had been activated, and she was determined to try to find out more about what seemed to be worrying the blonde.

"And yours?" she inquired, trying not to make a big deal out of it. "Is there anything exciting you have to tell us? Tell me you have a boyfriend," she said excitedly, although she regretted it because it seemed a bit intrusive.

"Nah, quite the opposite. It's been very quiet," she lied.

Her forced smile was telling everything to the older woman. Diana didn't want anyone to know, for the time being, the truth about her father's health, so she had to hide it as much as she could.

Roeske became concerned when she saw that Diana's eyes became somewhat watery; moreover, the tone of voice and expression that had appeared on Diana were a bit... worrying.

"Well, we all need to rest from time to time. If you ever need to talk to someone or vent about something," Britta added, trying to let the girl know that her help was there for whatever she needed, "I'm here. We haven't talked much, but that doesn't mean I can't listen to you."

Diana didn't know what to say. Although she hadn't had much contact with Sebastian's right-hand, she quite liked her. In fact, there had been a few occasions when she had wanted to approach the woman to exchange some inconsequential words with her, but her shyness always won.

Christian Horner's voice penetrated the room, making everyone, apart from the two German-speaking blondes, engrossed in the explanation of the purposes and objectives that Red Bull Racing would pursue starting the following month. Sebastian was listening attentively while trying to remember the faces of the people in the front rows, something he loved to do whenever he had any public appearance. However, his gaze began to wander a little further back when he spotted a blonde head next to Britta. Diana was having a conversation with her, her hands were moving constantly.

Even in a crowded place where he was supposed to be the center of everything, Diana Wagner captured all his attention.

To his surprise, he didn't mind at all.

For a moment, everything around him faded away, existing only that girl who, no matter how much he tried to forget her for more than obvious reasons, he couldn't. When she made eye contact with him and waved shyly, a mocking smile formed on the German's mouth, who began to feel a strange tingling in his stomach.

"Hey, Seb, are you still on Earth? Damn, I think we lost him, Christian."

Mark, upon asking Sebastian a question and receiving no response from the German, decided to throw another sarcastic remark while giving him a light tap on the arm to get his attention. Horner leaned closer to the young man's face and passed his free hand in front of him; immediately, Vettel blinked rapidly and forced himself to focus his gaze on his boss, who was subtly indicating to him to say something.

"Are you listening?" the Australian insisted again.

"Come on, Seb. We're in the middle of the presentation!" Christian shouted now as calmly as he could. If that was what he expected from the young man, what six years they had ahead of them... "Did a cat eat your tongue, or did you get lost in the clouds of Valencia?"

"We're in Jerez, but yes" the German hurried to say, earning some good laughs from the audience. "I'm sorry, I got distracted by a fan out there," he said, specifically pointing to the area where Diana and Britta were. "Where were we?"

Despite the murderous looks Britta was starting to throw his way at that moment, all Sebastian noticed was Diana's blush and her shy demeanor, clearly embarrassed, and flattered by Sebastian's words.

After a successful presentation and a much more acclaimed question session than expected, Christian Horner announced that the surprise of the day would be that Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber would be driving, for the first time, the RB5 for the crowd and the press present. The audience exploded in cheers, applauses and even started chanting, eager to see two highly acclaimed Formula 1 drivers in action.

Horner, immediately after stepping off the stage, tried to put on his best smile as he approached Diana, who was with Britta backstage. With a quick wave of his hand, he gestured for her to come closer to him.

"Be careful, okay?" Roeske whispered before the girl moved away, "Whatever he says or he does, don't lose your nerve. Nod and try to say yes to everything even you don’t agree."

Diana nodded, feeling sure of herself for the first time in her life in that world, although a little nervous. Then, she followed Christian's hurried pace, who seemed to be taking her to a more secluded place on stage where they could talk privately.

"What's this all about, Horner?" the blonde demanded, crossing her arms and trying not to let her guard down, "I thought we had discussed everything when you called me last month."

"It's nothing, Diana," the Brit clarified quickly. "I just want to talk to you again about the details of your joining Red Bull. After all, it's not the same to talk through one of those strange devices as it is face to face."

Roeske watched from a distance the conversation between the two, trying to decipher what they were saying, but it was impossible. She knew that Christian Horner had one of the most important roles in the team and that anything he wanted could be possible. At the same time, she was worried about Diana and how she would be treated. She wasn't her mother, and she wasn't trying to be, she was sure she already had one, but the fact that Sebastian spoke about her every time they saw each other had ended up generating in her a kind of special affection for the girl who seemed to matter so much to her client.

If only he wasn't so stupid and confessed what was on his mind, things would be so different...

"First of all, I want to tell you that we are extremely excited to have you on the team. Your skill and determination are undeniable," confessed the team principal. "Seb told us that it was you who came up with his strategy in Monza, and let me tell you: Rocky was completely impressed by it."

"Yes… well, it wasn't that big of a deal, but thank you," she said, trying not to give importance to a merit that publicly wasn't hers. "I am also very excited to join your team and have the opportunity to not only learn from the best, but also to become the best."

Had she gone too far by saying that last part? Perhaps the furrowed brow of the man in front of her was an indication that she had, but she couldn't care less.

"I'm glad to hear that, Wagner, but I want us to talk about more serious matters."

"I know," the Austrian replied.

Diana didn't want to show weakness, but she knew she had to control herself a little and think before saying whatever came to her mind no matter how right it was. That frankness seemed to bother the team principal, whose expression went from joy to anger in a matter of seconds.

"Diana, let me be clear," he muttered. "The conditions to be on this team are simple, but non-negotiable, so I hope they are clear to you from this moment on. You will have to dye your hair blonde as soon as you see the slightest reddish tone in it," how did he know that blonde wasn't her natural color? "Also, you have to come to work impeccably every day and only wear the team polo with a skirt and medium heels," who the hell had come up with those stupid rules? "I don't want you to socialize with drivers inside the paddock unless it is strictly necessary, as it will happen with our two.”

What were those stupid rules? Who invented them and thought they would be great if they wanted to promote equality?

"Your performance will be closely monitored," Horner continued, not giving Wagner a chance to express her apparent disagreement. “And, if you don't meet the expectations we obviously won’t count more on you.”

The young woman's discouragement was incredible, but her ambition was even greater. If she had to live from then on with those impediments to make her dream come true, she couldn't care less.

Christian knew he had gone too far with his way of expressing himself, but his pride was such that it prevented him from apologizing to the newcomer. Calming down a bit, and trying to calm the waters, he looked directly at Diana, and although he did give her another ultimatum, this time he did it much more calmly:

"I want you to know that I’ll try to trust you as much as I trust Sebastian with him recommending you," he acknowledged. "His word has proven to be much more reliable than that of many people not only with more experience in this sport. If he says you're capable, I’ll believe it too. But first, I have to see it myself."

The blonde tensed at the man's last sentence.

"Sebastian and I are just friends, Christian," she defended herself for no reason. "In fact, I would say we're not even that."

"I’ll try to trust you, Diana," he finally revealed with great effort what he had wanted to tell the young woman from the beginning, "and I'm sure more people will if you keep working and improving as you have been doing so far."

"Then why do I have to do everything you've asked me before?"

All the girl wanted to do at that moment was to calm her anger at the bipolarity that the man had shown in those moments. She knew there was a vast background behind those words and that, possibly, they didn't come from him but from some superior who wanted to test her.

"Don't screw it up, please," he simply said. "For God's sake, do not to screw it up."

The tension that had accumulated in the place dissipated as soon as Sebastian appeared, bursting in with a bottle of water in one hand and his helmet in the other, his driver’s suit open to his waist and sweat drops falling heavily from his forehead. His eyes lit up when he saw Diana, and her heart skipped a beat.

Without wasting a second, the driver placed his helmet and protective gear carefully on a nearby table and rushed to his friend. She couldn't help but smile as he wrapped his arms around her and they united in a hug that Diana wished would never end, while she kept repeating "thank you" in his ear.

It was the first time they had seen each other in person since November of the previous year, and a simple, insignificant caress was saying everything they hadn't said, and even more than they wanted to say because, at that moment, they were afraid to be honest with themselves and with each other.

Sebastian, without letting her go, gently stroked her hair and began to kiss her forehead affectionately, earning some giggles from the girl that were music to his ears.

"This is the least I could do, Di," he said when he pulled her away from him a bit, but without letting go of her chest. "You deserve this and much more, and I'm going to fight to give you everything you deserve. I promise."

#formula 1 #sebastian vettel #sv5 #f1 #formula one #vettel #sebastian vettel fanfic #sebastian vettel fanfiction #sebastian vettel x oc #sebastian vettel x female oc #f1 fanfic #f1 fanfiction #sebastian vettel fic #history #emma stone #diana vettel #history sebastian vettel #sebastian vettel history

21 notes · View notes

vettelsvee · 2 days

Text

THE BEST THING THAT'S EVER BEEN MINE | Sebastian Vettel

f1 masterlist | history series masterlist | wattpad | ao3 | instagram

sebastian vettel x race engineer gf!oc

summary: seb has lots of surprises for di because it is a very special day. however, di is so insecure about herself that she just thinks seb wants to break up with her.

word count: 7682

warnings: none! maybe just curse words, possible history series "spoilers" (however, at the beginning of the series you know they and up together, so...). lots of mentions to taylor swift. spanish words 100% real (as i’m spanish!) narrated on di's pov.

you can send your one shots requests here! feedback, as well as reblogs and comments, are truly appreciated!

I slowly opened my eyes and, still lying down, I began to stretch, moving from side to side. I reached out my hand towards the side of the bed where I supposed my boyfriend would still be, but all I felt was the cold of the morning seeping into every pore of my skin.

I sat up, fully opened my eyes and realized the guy wasn't there. Not there, nor anywhere in the room, not even in the bathroom despite its door being open.

A loud noise coming from downstairs and the smell of coffee were what set off the alarms. I decided to put on my slippers, throw on my robe and go down the stairs slowly, trying not to make noise and disturb Seb in whatever he might be doing.

I entered the kitchen and saw the blond guy with his back turned, holding the handle of a pan in one hand and a spatula in the other. Next to him, on the counter, was a plate with a couple of waffles, a bottle of ketchup, and a couple of jars with coffee and juice.

I knew Sebastian Vettel was romantic, but I also knew he liked to sleep like a log, so this could only mean that either I was dreaming or the RedBull golden boy wanted something from me.

That he wanted to do something nice for his girlfriend was the last thing on my mind.

I decided to approach him and hug him from behind, not even flinching at my unexpected contact. Without stopping paying attention to the scrambled eggs, almost ready, the German turned around and gave me a short kiss on the lips.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. Did you sleep well?" he asked.

I just nodded with a murmur.

"If you let me, I can finish preparing breakfast," he asked, trying to push me away. "I've been awake for an hour and a half to make everything perfect so please, don't make me ruin it now."

"Whatever you say, Mr. Vettel."

I sat on one of the stools at the kitchen island and let myself fall onto it, not without noticing the bouquet of flowers in the center. Orchids and roses were mostly what it was made up of, although I could also spot a few daffodils. I realized that what held them all together was a cord with a small label with something written on it. Tempted, I was about to open it, but I ended up not doing it because I was convinced it would be some gift for Sebastian that was none of my business.

"Do you like it?"

The guy put a plate in front of me which, for what he usually did, was a masterpiece. A waffle covered with fruit on top and, beside it, scrambled eggs and some small containers with ketchup, whipped cream, white chocolate and dark chocolate.

I was mesmerized, not knowing what to say to him. It was the breakfast my mother used to make me on weekends and on some special occasions, like my birthday. I would even swear that the containers with the sauces on them were exactly the same. My gaze was fixed on the plate, unable to look away from it. It was quite strange that Seb knew about this because, beyond my sister and my late father, no one else got idea about this tradition.

"Di, love, are you listening?" he insisted, pulling me out of my trance.

"What?" I asked, completely distracted.

"The bouquet of flowers," Seb replied, pointing to the vase. "Although I also accept feedback on the breakfast."

"Let me taste it. You know you're not the chef of our wonderful couple."

Sebastian nodded, took a seat in front of me and patiently waited for my final verdict. I took my time to slowly taste everything even though I wanted to devour it eagerly. I made all sorts of combinations: chocolate with whipped cream and waffle, ketchup with scrambled eggs, and I even dared to mix chocolate and cream with eggs just to cough, give myself nausea, and provoke laughter from my boyfriend.

I drank some coffee to get rid of the bad taste that had lingered in my mouth while I couldn't stop thinking about how on earth he could know my mother's exact recipe.

"So, what's the verdict? Pass?"

I lifted my head to look at him and smiled. Not just approved: it was such a masterpiece.

"Definitely, sunshine. I mean, not just the breakfast, don't get me wrong," I hastened to add. "All of this is wonderful," I pointed to the breakfast and to him, "but..."

But I’m starting to have the strange feeling like there's something behind all of this.

"But what, sweetheart?"

That you're doing this because you want us to break up.

"Nothing," I rushed to reply, dismissing the fleeting thought that had just crossed my mind.

I knew Seb wasn’t pleased with my answer, but it seemed to be enough for him.

I continued having breakfast, and soon he joined me with a protein shake and an apple. I couldn't help but feel bad eating such a feast in front of him.

"And how do you like the bouquet?" he asked.

"It's very beautiful," I replied, covering my mouth so he wouldn't see it full. "Whoever gave it to you has a very good taste."

"Are you saying I have good taste?"

"What? Did you buy them?" I asked again.

"Of course. Who do you think would give me flowers?"

"I don't know," I said honestly. "Any of the girls who chase you around the paddock, for example."

"Di: the bouquet is for you," he announced nervously.

I remained, once again today, in shock. Seb had left me speechless on many occasions, but today was simply too much.

I looked at the bouquet, looked at him, and looked back at the bouquet. His index finger pointed at the note. If I had noticed earlier, just as I was doing now, I could have seen, even if only vaguely, that it was his handwriting.

"Read the note, love."

Following his advice, I delicately took the card in my hands, trying not to break it and carefully untied the cord. When I opened it I could see that, in addition to something written in German, our mother tongue, it was accompanied by his signature, a poorly drawn heart and, of course, one of the happy faces he almost always used:

You told me I wouldn't have many firsts with you, but look: today is the first time I’ll give you flowers. I assure you there will be many more, my dearest paddock girl (although now I prefer calling you my beautiful girlfriend and, of course, my dearest race engineer).

My eyes filled with tears. Without thinking I turned around the kitchen island, running towards Seb, who was still sitting, and I threw myself at him to kiss him. I felt his arms wrap around my waist and his hands running down my back to my neck, pulling me closer without breaking our union.

We parted, breathless, a few seconds later, when we felt like we were running out of air. Our foreheads stayed together, and our gazes couldn't be torn away from each other's. A playful smile formed on Sebastian's lips, and I knew what he was thinking.

"Don't get so affectionate, Di. We have a lot to do today."

I pulled away from him and crossed my arms. He hadn't mentioned anything about that last night, not even when he convinced me to come spend a few days with him, knowing perfectly well that I couldn't just leave my job at the café during winter breaks like that.

"Well, you'll have to tell me what then."

He put his hands in his back pocket and pulled out a piece of paper that he didn't hesitate to offer me.

"I made a list because I didn't want to forget anything, You know I’m a mess," he explained as I quickly glanced over what it said.

Try to find the album Lara wants, but the limited edition version.

It made sense. Seb's sister was as obsessed with One Direction as I was with Taylor Swift.

Buy a notebook (mom told me it's good so I don't forget things).

I didn't continue reading because the rest seemed to be a shopping list that wasn't very important. I left it on the table, trying not to get it dirty with breakfast leftovers, and picked up the dishes, ready to wash them.

Seb quickly came over to me, taking them out of my hands and depositing them all in the sink. Without saying anything else, he came closer and gave me a quick peck on the lips followed by a loving slap on the butt.

"No, today my woman is not going to do anything, so you better go upstairs and check if there's anything on the bed."

Following his advice full of intrigue, I hurried upstairs to the bedroom and looked for whatever my boyfriend was eager for me to see. It was quite easy to find as the fluorescent pink color of the post-it note that was where my boyfriend had told me to look contrasted greatly with the snow-white sheets. Look at the white box in the closet, it was the only thing written, accompanied once again by another one of his smiley doodles.

I contained myself from opening the box in the closet. I carefully placed it on the bed and opened it in the same cautious manner just in case there was something unexpected. And indeed there was: to my surprise, I found the dress I had been wanting for so long.

I took it in my hands, stretching it over me as much as I could and letting the softness of the fabric envelop my fingers. It was even more beautiful than what I had seen in that shop showcase, and I didn't know how Seb had managed to get it because when I went to inquire about buying it, I was told it was sold out.

I could see that there was something deliberately hidden under the tulle that wrapped it. Carefully, I placed the garment on the bed and saw that it was the set of lingerie in black and green tones with floral details that I fell in love with the one time Britta and I went to Victoria's Secret out of curiosity.

It was more than obvious what the blond wanted me, us, to do, with this.

"Seb! Was all of this your idea!?"

I waited for an answer that never came. I shouted at him again, this time even louder, but once again silence was the only thing that answered for him.

I decided not to wait for an answer that I knew wouldn't come, so I hurried to dress in my new outfit, also changing my underwear and shoes to ones that would match my new outfit better.

When I arrived downstairs I could see Seb already waiting for me at the door leading to the garage with his car keys on his hand.

"It looks much better on you than I thought," he said, lost in thought. "You look like a real life Cinderella version, but a thousand times prettier."

I didn't know what to say to him because I didn’t know how to answer every time I received a compliment from him. I thought that when we started dating I would get used to Seb constantly complimenting me, but two months later it still hadn't been the case.

I smiled shyly and lowered my head. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led us towards his car.

"Did you like... that?"

"What do you mean by that, love?"

He knew perfectly well what he meant, same as me, but I wanted to play with him just as he seemed to be playing with me with so much mystery.

"You know..." he began, hesitating. "What, if I'm not mistaken, you're wearing underneath the dress."

"Oh, the bra and panties!" I exclaimed as I got into the passenger seat and fastened my seatbelt. "They’re perfect, Seb."

We remained silent for the first few minutes of the journey with only the daily news from one of the local radio stations playing in the background.

"Di," he called me again, shifting his gaze slightly towards me. I hated it when he did that. "Did you really like the lingerie set or was it too risky? I don't want our first Saint..."

After saying that last part, he chose to quickly shut up.

I hated it when he did that, especially when the thought that he was behaving like that because he wanted to break up with me had started to creep into my head.

"Seb, seriously, I loved it," I assured him, trying to keep calm and, at the same time, make him keep it too. "Britta, more than having good taste, has a good memory," I added.

"Who says Britta helped me?"

"It's too much of a coincidence that last month, when we met and went into Victoria's Secret out of curiosity, I complained about how expensive this was," I explained, pulling a strip of my bra out of the neckline of the dress to show him, "and how much I'd love to have it. And, today, you show up with the dress I'd been saving up for more than I'd have liked.”

Seb smiled sideways. It was more than obvious that he was the one behind all of this.

"Maybe I should talk to my PR about more mundane things than press conferences and stupid rumors," he confirmed.

"If you want, only if you want... I can show it to you later."

Thankfully, the traffic light was red. His face quickly turned towards where I was, turning his gaze back to the road because that's what I made him do with my hand. The light turned green again, and he continued driving.

His cheeks had turned a shade of red that I rarely saw on him. I wasn't going to deny that I didn't like seeing him like that.

"Easy, Di. We've waited three years to be together. I think we can wait a little longer to do you know what."

A few minutes later we parked in one of the farthest parking lots from the mall. As he usually did, Seb got out before me to open the door for me, which I thanked him for despite being dying of nerves.

"Well, what do we have to do?"

I started walking next to him, picking up my pace and taking his hand. I let go of the union immediately, and he gave me a look of pity. Except for some exceptions of our trusted people no one knew, for now, that we were dating, and we didn't intend to make it public for now.

He gave me a look of pity that pierced me like a dagger in the chest, and that only increased the thought that we were living our last hours together.

"I thought we'd go to the music store first," he commented, avoiding what had just happened. "Then I want to go to a stationery store that has opened and that I know that you’d... well, it has a lot of office supplies that you’d like," he finally said. "And I also want to go buy several things for our house in case we have special guests coming up."

I didn't want to ask more to avoid unwanted answers. I assumed that Hanna was one of those unexpected and special guests, but I couldn't, for now, face hearing him say that.

The first stop, as Seb had said, was the music store. As we entered a combination of violins and pianos made me relax almost instantly. A section of vinyl records right as we walked in caught his attention, especially because the majority of them were from his favorite band, the Beatles.

"You have no idea how long I've been looking for this," he began, taking one of them in his hands and analyzing it in detail, "but today we didn't come for this."

He let it go and headed to another section that seemed much more youthful. I stopped to look at the price of the vinyl version of Abbey Road, and I decided to take a picture of it to know exactly which one it was and if I could get it cheaper because the few savings I had were spent to come see him.

"Di, look! Do you like it?"

I spotted him a few feet away from me holding a stack of records. I decided to approach him to see what titles were there. Speak now, by Taylor Swift, was the one that caught my attention the most to the point that I let out a muffled scream of excitement.

"Do you like any?"

I knew he had noticed my reaction, but I acted as if nothing had happened. I continued browsing through the ones he had seemed to pick out, but besides the one by the American singer and Rihanna, none of them interested me.

Actually not, sunshine," I lied.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, knowing perfectly well that my previous behavior contradicted my response. He repeated the question, and I denied it again.

"Seb, really, I didn't like any of them," I insisted.

"If you say so... then, let's go. I didn't find the CD my sister wanted, so everything's done here."

"But isn't this the one you were looking for?"

I discreetly pointed out the limited edition of One Direction’s Up all night behind him that I had seen as soon as we arrived. I noticed him starting to feel uncomfortable. A nervous smile came out of his lips, biting his lower one while playing with his hair.

He was nervous, and I was starting to get even more nervous when I saw him like that. I would swear that if it weren't for the fact that we were in public, I would have panicked.

I tried to laugh it off to calm myself, but I stopped as soon as he took my arm and quickly led me to the store's exit.

"Hey you, calm down," I said once we were outside. "What's going on with you? Now you're in such a hurry?"

"Well," he looked at his watch and I imitated his action. Twelve fifteen. Great, almost lunchtime and we had only partially accomplished the first goal on the list. "I just remembered that my sister already had it."

"And why did we come then?"

He said nothing. His gaze landed on the ground and on his feet, fidgeting. That was another clear sign that he was lying to me.

"Seb, you know if you have something to tell me..."

"Stay here for a second. I'll be right back."

He didn't give me time to react because I saw him disappear again into the store. I was filled with curiosit.; I peeked several times through the shop window to see what he was up to and hid each time he seemed to see me. A few minutes later he came out of the store with a paper bag in his hands. I ran towards him to try to see what was in it, but as soon as I peeked to see the content, he changed hands.

"I'm not going to tell you anything for now," he said mysteriously. "You'll see it when the time is right."

"Come on, Seb..."

The pout I made to try to get him to reveal something, even if it was a miserable clue, was in vain both at that moment and in the following hours.

As we went through the stores Seb wanted to see, I realized that he seemed to have established some kind of routine. We entered together, wherever it was, under the excuse of buying something that appeared on Sebastian's list. Once we were inside my boyfriend only took a quick look around, asked me if I liked or needed anything, and then we left. Every time he asked me something, I answered with a firm no, but he ended up going back in, asking me to wait outside, and coming out with a bag.

It was more than clear that he was plotting something, and I had the feeling that it wasn't anything good. I tried to find the background of it all, analyzing every detail because even when we went to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, I couldn't think of anything else.

Vettel ate eagerly, enjoying something other than vegetables and grilled chicken. I, however, toyed with the plate of carbonara pasta in front of me while I couldn't stop thinking that all of this was the imminent end of our short love story.

Was Seb buying things for Hanna, and he didn't want to tell me?

"Di, what's wrong? You've been too quiet for a while."

I noticed the concern in his eyes. I smiled to avoid raising suspicions, but the truth was that all I wanted to do was cry.

"No, it’s ok. I'm just thinking about the day we’re having," I replied shortly, still staring at my food.

"You're acting very strangely, love. Are you sure you're okay?"

His insistence made me want to spill everything, but my judgment urged me to proceed with caution to avoid risking our relationship even more.

He set down his cutlery and reached across the table to take my hands. He cared much less than I did about who might see us, but I felt a twinge of anxiety. Surprisingly, that simple gesture calmed me a bit.

"Yes, really," I insisted, now looking at him. "I'm trying not to get nervous about whatever you seem to be planning for you know who."

My smile was too forced, and so was his. I knew my response didn't convince him, but it didn't convince me either.

And what about his expression? Nothing more needed to be said when I saw how he avoided looking at me and how his lips seemed to downturn.

"What do you think if we go to the movies after we finish eating? I know there's a movie you'd like to see."

"I don't know, Seb. Do you want to go to the movies with me because you feel like it or because you're trying to distract me from whatever you're hiding?"

My tone was more serious than I wanted it to be. I glanced at his face and knew that it had upset him.

I felt worse, constantly thinking that all this fuss was nothing more than a silly excuse for him to take me to accompany him to buy gifts for his new girlfriend, who happened to be his ex-girlfriend, and he was going to break up with me as soon as he could.

"Di, really, I just want to have a good time with you," he assured, knowing deep down that it was quite difficult.

"And why all this fuss? Why so much insistence that I come, specifically yesterday, to spend a few days with you? What are you hiding?" I asked, with pain in my words.

"I'm not hiding anything, darling, and I'm telling you completely seriously," my boyfriend sighed, trying to find the right words. "I just want today to be a special day for us. Why did I bring you then to a place where you like to eat? And to the movies? I know how much you like the cinema, just like I know you love Taylor..."

"What's with Taylor?" I asked, interested in what I assumed would be a mention of the blonde singer. "Swift, I guess," I added.

"What movie do you say you want to see?" he countered.

In the end, he chose it because I didn't feel like sitting for at least an hour and a half, staring at a screen. A Few Best Men was the chosen one, and even though it was one that he definitely wouldn't watch, he did it for me, just like he did when he paid for the tickets almost without giving me a chance to do it.

Once we were inside the movie theater, he directed me to the section with a large selection of candy and snacks and urged me to choose whatever I wanted.

"It's enough that you paid for everything today," I said shyly. "Lunch, the tickets, whatever you bought in the stores..."

For Hanna, not for you, I thought, trying to push that thought away as quickly as it came to my mind.

But Sebastian, as stubborn as he was, didn't accept my refusal.

"Come on, Di. Choosing food you crave is part of the routine of going to the movies," he said, as if we went to the movies daily. "I mean it, love. Choose whatever you want."

"I'm not hungry."

The blonde didn't say anything else. He simply approached where all the snacks were and started choosing for me.

"So, for my Di, let's get popcorn now," he began listing out loud. “Let's also get her a bag of licorice and another one of M&M's to mix with the popcorn..."

"And what about you, Vettel?" I asked curiously while trying not to laugh at how well he knew me.

"The usual: sweet popcorn and nachos with cheese."

Seb took the wide and, perhaps, not so varied selection to the counter to pay for everything. I tried to convince him to let me do it, but it was impossible once again, just like carrying all the goods to the theater. Some popcorn fell along the way, and we spilled so much soda on the floor that we were scolded.

The ads were already showing when we entered. With everything dark except for the light emanating from the screen, we took care not to fall as we made our way to our seats, which were in one of the corners of the highest row.

Seb sat next to me, and what I thought would turn into a session of incognito kisses turned into a whisper warning me that he was going to the bathroom.

"I won't take long, I promise," he assured me.

"Sure, go ahead."

Since I saw him get up and disappear from the room I couldn't concentrate on anything other than his departure, especially when I saw that minutes were passing by and he didn't return. During the first fifteen minutes, I tried my best to focus on the movie, but it was impossible for me no matter how much I tried to get interested. About half an hour later, I was already thinking about infidelity, unexpected encounters, and even, why not, that he had left me hanging.

Forty-five minutes after he left Sebastian returned, giving me a kiss on the lips that I didn't respond to with the same passion as usual.

"How's the movie darling?" he asked as if nothing had happened.

I took a deep breath before answering him. I didn't want to mess things up even though, perhaps, he deserved it.

"Fine."

"Are you enjoying it? Did I choose well?"

"Yes."

Seb seemed to notice my curt responses, but it's not like I wanted to hide them. He approached me, wrapping his arms around me, from which I escaped. The last thing I wanted in those moments was to have him close.

"Is something wrong, Di? You've been acting strange all day, love."

"Nothing's wrong, Seb. I'm just a little tired," I lied again, avoiding looking directly at him. Was I the one acting strange?

"I was thinking of going out to dinner," he said a bit... sad? "But if you want, we can go back home. Today, I'm completely at your disposal."

"I see," I commented ironically.

The blonde man gently took my hand.

"I was thinking of taking you to a newly opened Spanish restaurant," he whispered. "Would you like that?"

"I would love it," I declared. He had caught me there. Wherever there was Spanish food, everything else could go away. "But you know as well as I do that we shouldn't frequent public places if you want this," I pointed to both of us with my finger, referring to our relationship, "to stay between us and our closest family."

"We had lunch at a restaurant today and nobody saw us," he reproached, raising his voice a bit more than he should. Some people turned to look at us, and I tried to hide.

"Yes, and what time was it, three-thirty in the afternoon? Who the hell eats at that hour, Seb?"

His silence confirmed my point.

"Well," he continued, not letting me enjoy the movie, "then I'm afraid I'll have to change a part of my surprise. You're lucky I'm a Formula 1 driver and fast thinking is my thing," he said, trying to make me laugh and achieving just the opposite.

"Don't we already have a problem?"

"What problem are you talking about, Diana?"

That his tone had gone from relaxed to completely curt, and above all. That he called me by my full name was a bad sign, a very bad one indeed.

"Sorry," he spoke immediately, realizing that he hadn't answered me and that he certainly hadn't spoken in the best way. "It’s just that I’m getting nervous. I'm sorry," he repeated, making me feel a little guilty. "Everything I had planned is just one mess after another, and..."

"It's okay, Seb. Let's go to dinner," I ended up giving in, ignoring what I had just heard and even though hunger was the last thing on my mind at that moment.

Seb kept talking to me about a thousand different topics for the remaining time of the movie, and did the same on the way back to the car and throughout the journey to that restaurant called La Casa. As much as I felt bad because my boyfriend seemed to have lost his spirits, my mind kept playing tricks on me and it was nearly impossible to stop thinking that the bad news was going to come at any moment.

Now, as I waited for Seb to come out with the order, and hopefully with the food already in his hands, my stomach was a bundle of uncontrollable nerves.

"I ordered a little bit of everything," I had seen him coming from afar, but I turned in my seat when he opened the trunk. "I know Spanish food is your favorite because you grew up with it for most of your life," he explained as he placed the bags in the back of the car. I was about to interrupt him, but he asked me to be quiet. "I also ordered some Asian food, which they also had, I don't know why, and I know you love that too."

"But don't you remember anything you ordered?" I inquired with curiosity now that my hunger seemed to have returned.

"Just some croquetas and tortilla de patatas. I don't understand Spanish, my dear," he replied as he got behind the wheel and resumed driving down the road. "When we get to the lookout you'll have to explain everything to me in detail."

As we continued driving towards the place, unease grew in me at the same time. A desire to vomit integrated into my throat, accompanied by cravings that I didn't try to hide. With each turn Seb took, I swore that the little I had eaten that day, which was already more than digested, was going to be thrown up when I least expected it.

Sebastian Vettel, the guy I had been in love with since, possibly, the day he stayed overnight in my hotel room the night before his first victory, was going to break up with me, the girl he considered the love of his life, and for whom he left his ex-girlfriend.

Surreal, right?

The driver parked the car, got out quickly and didn't hesitate to open the trunk. He took out a much larger number of bags than I would swear to remember. Then, he unfolded a blanket and placed it on the ground, putting a couple more on top, I guess so we wouldn't get cold. He also placed some cushions from his house and a paper tableware with children's drawings next to what I would swear was the food he had just bought.

My surprise came when he took out a box much larger than the one this morning. As if it weren't enough that it was closed, it was wrapped in Cars-themed wrapping paper, and to top it off, it had a big red bow on it.

"What's all this about?"

My still boyfriend, with the box in his hand, gave me a bittersweet look, as if I were speaking to him in a language he didn't understand.

"Sebastian, I'm telling you seriously," I got even more serious. I saw he started to laugh, and I got even angrier with him. "Don't laugh, you asshole!"

"What are you talking about, Di?" he asked innocently while I hit him with slaps on the arm.

"About today. All day long," I reluctantly replied, which was the last thing I wanted given his expression, quite a poem. "First, I don't know how, but you get up much earlier than me and make me the exact same breakfast my mom used to make for me," I began to enumerate, trying to control my anger. "Then, you give me a list that we didn't end up using because you did whatever you wanted. And let's not forget that you left me alone in the movie theater to, of course, go anywhere but to the bathroom," I added angrily.

Seb was unable to process an appropriate response, and that's when I realized everything. I tried to control my tears, just as I had done all day long, but I couldn't do it anymore. As soon as my tears began to fall down my face, I saw the pilot leaving the box he was holding on the ground, and coming closer to me to hug me. At first, I resisted, but I gave in when, once again, his arms became my refuge.

"The day I asked you out I told you we were going to have many first times, do you remember?" he said softly. I nodded, remembering how nervous I was all that day. "Don't you want us to celebrate our first Valentine's Day together in a special way?"

Valentine's Day.

Today was February 14th.

It couldn't be true.

I quickly moved away from Seb and looked around. Now everything made sense.

Everything he had been preparing was for me... or at least, that's what I believed.

"What do you mean Valentine's Day?" I blurted out, unable to hide my surprise.

"Well, Valentine's Day, Di. You know: the day when couples, or almost couples, or I don't know, do things for each other, and..."

"So you don't want to break up with me?"

I let it out so quickly, without letting him finish speaking and without thinking. I burst into tears once again. Now I felt much stupider than before, but above all, I felt bad because I had earned the title of the worst girlfriend in the world. Seb had done all this for me, and all I had done was pay him back by speaking badly to him, thinking he was cheating on me and of course, not buying him the vinyl he wanted.

"Break up with you?" I knew that right now he probably wanted to tell me anything but nice things. That he had hugged me again, and, above all, that his voice conveyed calm said a lot about him. "Di, where do you get those ideas from?"

"It's just that..." I inhaled and exhaled before looking up at him. I couldn't speak badly to him again, especially not for something that had been the result of my insecurity. "Everything today made me think you wanted to end it. The breakfast, leaving me stranded at the cinema... I thought you were getting ready to tell me you were getting back with Hanna," I finished saying.

Seb, after hearing that, held me even tighter against his chest.

"Di, I'm so sorry if I made you feel that way," he apologized. "All of this was to do something special for our first Valentine's together, not to ruin it. I know I messed up, and you have no idea how much I regret losing control over certain things because it's the last thing you deserved."

He seemed quite repentant, and that made me feel even worse.

"Do you want to see what's in here?" he said, pointing to the box still on the ground. "I've prepared it for you," he whispered shyly. "I just hope you like it; if not, you can tell me without any problem."

"I haven't bought you anything," was all I could reply.

"It's okay, Di. I prepared all this for you because I wanted to, and also because you deserve it, not because I wanted anything in return."

I tried not to overthink anymore. I sat on the ground, on the blanket and beside the box. With my hands slightly trembling, I started to slowly tear the wrapping paper. Seb sat next to me, too close, giving me an unexpected kiss on the cheek and not bothering to move an inch away from me.

The first thing I saw was a pile of confetti, which I didn't hesitate to push aside, revealing a wide variety of all kinds of sweets, especially my favorites, along with small details of stationary supplies that I remembered seeing in that stationery store and that had caught my attention.

In the center were two small gifts wrapped as well as possible, each with an envelope attached with my name, written perfectly in light blue capital letters.

"This is too much, Seb," I honestly exclaimed, turning to him. "Now I understand why you've been asking me if I liked certain things and then you would return to the stores just to come out with a bag that you wouldn't let me see..."

"I know it's been very wrong on my part, but I think the little scare I gave you was worth it. Just look at the beautiful and happy face you have right now," he revealed, laughing, squeezing my cheeks.

And here I was, thinking he was going to break up with me...

Definitely, I didn't deserve Sebastian Vettel.

"First, you have to read the note from the envelope carefully," the German explained carefully, "and then try to guess what it could be."

"And after all that, can I open it?" I innocently asked, although the answer was more than obvious.

"Of course. Here, try this one first."

He took the rectangular gift and handed it to me. Before reading anything, I started to make assumptions about what it could be, but I was so overwhelmed that I decided to finish my task within a few seconds.

With eagerness, I carefully opened the envelope so as not to tear it because I was going to keep it until the end of time to remember this day, and, with a bit of optimism, to be able to show it to our children someday if we were still together.

"Can you read it out loud for me, princess? I don't remember what it says."

You said that, fortunately or unfortunately, you had finished the first gift I gave you. I hope this second part is as good, or even better, than the first one," I read aloud and clearly. "P.S.: I hope from now on you write more, and better, about me.

I looked up and saw Seb smiling.

"Do you know what it could be?" he wanted to know.

Of course I did.

"Di's diary, part two."

He didn't say anything else although his half-smile had formed almost automatically, saying it all. With a slight nod of his head, he gave me the go-ahead to open it, and so I did. As soon as I got rid of the wrapping paper I saw a notebook that I would now use as a diary, and which, like the previous one, had a plain color and a photo of us after the victory of his first world championship, our first photo, in Polaroid format.

"Seb... I don't know what to say..."

"Don't say anything yet because there's another one here."

He handed me the second gift. This one had the form of a square and, by feeling it, I realized it didn't have just one envelope, but two. This second one, on the back, was much larger. Before I could take a look, Seb removed it and hid it behind his back, as if he were a little kid not wanting anyone to take away a candy from him.

"First the small one, which is the one you'll like the least," he clarified in a childish tone.

"Okay, okay..."

Just as I did with the previous one, I carefully tore open the envelope, opened it, and read the note out loud:

I see sparks fly whenever you smile. Get me with those green eyes, baby, as the lights go down.

It couldn't be true.

I was so excited that I didn't even make guesses about what it could be. I tore the paper, now eagerly and with so much force that I saw an album falling to the ground.

As soon as I read Speak now on the cover, and saw a blonde girl wearing a purple dress, I let out a muffled scream.

“Taylor Swift's albums, Seb?! Seriously?!”

Taylor Swift and Fearless were also in the small package, and now the excitement was overwhelming. I screamed like I hadn't in a long time. I stood up, and seeing Seb doing the same, I threw myself into his arms and kissed him like I had never kissed him before, like he truly deserved to be kissed.

"If you're like this over three albums, how are you going to react when you see this?"

Without saying anything else, he handed me the larger envelope.

I hesitated whether to take it or not because his face was totally expressionless, although his eyes hinted that he was eager for me to know what was inside.

Tickets for the Speak Now World Tour. Impossible.

"Seb, tickets have been sold out for quite a while now..." I stuttered, unable to look him in the eyes because I didn't want him to see me cry over this. "You know I've been looking everywhere for months and haven't found anything..."

"Well, but you're lucky to have found a boyfriend who’s a Formula 1 driver and has certain privileges," he said, forcing us to hug each other. "I think you already know how we're going to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the day we met."

"You still remember?"

I pulled my head from his chest to look at him. His eyes were shiny, probably like mine were. The moment I saw him nod was when I couldn't contain my tears, and he couldn't control his either.

"How could I forget the day I met you, Di? It was March 13th, I'll never forget it," I was surprised he remembered, but what could I expect from this guy? "You met me in 2008, and in 2012 I promise you'll meet Taylor as surely as my name is Sebastian. Since we have to go to Australia for the first Grand Prix of the year it's no problem if we leave a few days earlier."

"You must be kidding," was all I could say in a voice so low that only I heard it.

I remained standing even as I saw him sit down and start to open the bag containing the takeout food he had ordered.

"Di, I don't know what you'd prefer first, so I'll put a bit of everything on the plate for you, and if you don't want more, I'll eat it myself or we can save it for tomorrow, okay?"

I sat down beside him, perhaps too close for us to be able to dine quietly and comfortably, but in those moments, I think neither of us cared in the slightest.

"I'm really sorry I didn't get you anything sunshine," I said as I picked up a glass of gazpacho. "Honestly, I completely forgot, and I won't lie to you: I've never celebrated Valentine's Day, so..."

"Don't worry about that, Di. Don't you dare to think about gifts or anything," he interrupted, leaving his plate of food on the blanket and wrapping his arms around me, taking my chin and forcing me to look at him. "From now on, we're going to celebrate everything," he stole a kiss from me and then pulled away. "But I don't want you to give me anything, alright? The best gift not only for Valentine's Day, but for life, is you, and nothing and no one in the world will surpass you, okay?"

"Okay, sunshine."

"Di," he called me a few seconds later as he started eating. "You're the best thing that’s ever been mine.”

I smiled and ate, trying not to choke, enjoying Seb's effort to sing Mine as best as possible while also trying to keep the piece of tortilla in his hands from breaking.

I felt happy, and I was afraid it would be snatched away from me at any moment. I allowed myself the luxury of not thinking about it, and as our voices joined together in unison in the chorus of the song, I couldn't help but think that on days like today, my boyfriend, my partner, the only person who had trusted me to rise in Formula 1, the blond German who had hurt me only to fix it afterwards, the one I risked considering the love of my life, was the one who made everything worthwhile.

59 notes · View notes