Just Drive (Sebastian Vettel)

Chapter 31: Sore Heads

Caitlin's eyes blinked open.

Dimly, she looked around the room. She was lying in a plush, dark wood mahogany bed. To her right was a large bay window, with duck egg blue curtains softly drawn across them.

With a soft smile to herself, Caitlin pulled the large soft white duvet off, and still in her black dress from the night before padded over to the window.

Caitlin squinted as she pulled the curtains aside and sunlight came dazzling into the room. Through the window she could see the same stunning view of Monaco Harbour, no longer shimmering in starlight but now glowing in the early morning sun, a long dark shadow being cast across one half of the city.

With the bright sunlight now helping her, Caitlin spotted a small glass table near the door to a bathroom on which sat her shoes and her phone.

13 messages!

ALEX: Where r u?

CHARLOTTE: The alien's head has come back.

JON: Have you gone? I think this little madam needs to go home, you coming?

CHARLOTTE: I want to go swimming 🏊‍♀️

CHARLOTTE: Can we go swimming?

JON: Not sure where you are but I'm taking Charlotte back, see you in the morning.

FRANNY: FORZA FERRARI!!! 🏎🏁 Whhhooooo Team Cait!

CHARLOTTE: Oh my god I've woken up with the worst headache this morning. Put the kettle on...

SEBASTIAN: Hey, Antti turned up and I didn't want to wake you. We've headed out for the day, I'll call you later x

CHARLOTTE: So I've finally got out of bed and you're not in our room. Did you come home last night?

SEBASTIAN: It's cold out, grab some clothes from my room if you need.

CHARLOTTE: Where the fuck are you? I need Ibuprofen 😫🤯

CHARLOTTE: Ok I'm starting to get worried now, call me.

Quickly, Caitlin tapped out a reply to Charlotte.

CAITLIN: Sorry, don't panic. On my way back.

CHARLOTTE: 😲 You dirty little stop out, have you been out all night??!

CHARLOTTE: Who is he?

CAITLIN: You can talk, having Jon take you home. I'll get Starbucks on my way.

CHARLOTTE: 😘

Caitlin tucked her phone into the palm of her hand, picked up her shoes, and slipped out of the door.

Which room had Seb meant?

She opened the door immediately on her right - it lead into a large dressing room, full of women's long satin ball gowns, bags and dresses, and a large dressing table and mirror in the window.

The second door Caitlin opened led into a children's nursery - a small single bed was in the corner with powder blue covers draped across it, and games and toys were stacked neatly upon shelves along one long wall.

Making a mental note to herself to ask Seb once more whose house this was, Caitlin backed out of the room and turned the handle of the fourth and final door on the landing.

This was clearly the master bedroom - another dark wood mahogany bed was centred against one wall, only this one was a four poster. The wall directly opposite Caitlin was one large panel of glass looking not towards the city, but across the garden sending a feeling of being disconnected from the outside world flooding over Caitlin.

She rummaged through a chest of drawers until she found a Ferrari hoodie, slipped it over her head, and made her way back downstairs.

Caitlin burst into the kitchen but stopped in her tracks as she saw Britta sat on a high stool tapping away on a laptop.

Britta looked up, but didn't look surprised to see Caitlin there. She did however allow her eyes to give Caitlin a quick up-and-down glance, before giving Caitlin a knowing smile and acknowledging nod of the head.

"Morgen,"

"Oh, er hi Britta. How are you?"

"Ja, good thank you. You?"

"Bit of a sore head," said Caitlin, with a nervous smile.

"So I hear," replied Britta with an amused twinkle in her eye. Caitlin was surprised – after their last encounter she had the impression Britta wouldn't have been keen to see her here this morning, but today her mood appeared to have lightened. "Take a seat, I won't bite," said Britta indicating towards the stool sat opposite her. "Seb's out with Antti – they've headed up into the mountains for the day."

"The mountains?"

"Ja. Hiking. Mountain biking. Running..." Britta trailed off, laughing at the look on Caitlin's face.

"Sounds awful. Exercise is not my thing."

"No, mine neither."

Caitlin, who had been rummaging in the fridge until this point, sat down at the breakfast bar with a yoghurt and banana.

"You'd better get used to it though, if you're going to be hanging around Seb. Him and Antti are always off messing around."

Caitlin blushed at Britta's directness, and bit her bottom lip nervously.

"Don't worry – your secret is safe with me," continued Britta, the twinkle in her eye still glistening back at Caitlin.

~*~

Charlotte was sat on the sofa, nursing a sore head and aimlessly flicking through the channels with the remote. It had been a rough morning – breakfast hadn't gone well. So she'd opted for not eating anything and had chosen to lie around wallowing in self-pity for the majority of the day.

She heard a key click in the door and Caitlin stumbled in.

"Where THE FUCK have you been girl?" Charlotte took a moment to look Caitlin up and down, starting with her incredibly scruffy top knot, then taking in a less-fitted-than-normal Ferrari polo shirt, and finally some incredibly baggy black Adidas shorts, gently hanging off her hips.

Charlotte raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Never mind, I'm there. You're lucky none of the boys have seen you dressed like this." She exhaled deeply and threw herself back onto the sofa in exhaustion. "I can't believe you abandoned me when I was this much of a mess! Did you have fun at least?"

Caitlin collapsed onto the sofa next to her friend.

"Yeh it was a good night. I'll fill you in when you're not feeling so delicate."

"Oh no you don't. I want details now!"

Bit of a shorter one this week - plenty more still to come!