Reviewing priorities - Sebastian Vettel

48. Pre-Birthday confessions

'Australia?'

'We had been going out for a month and you were already planning my birthday?' Valeria asked, shocked.

'Mhmh' he nodded, nonchalantly. 'I knew I'd wanna spend it with you and, if you didn't want to spend it with me, I'd have sent someone else with you, maybe Dan? He's already on that side of the world'

'Wow. You are... unbelievable' Valeria kissed him.

'always the tone of surprise' he teased her. 'I've also packed this for you' he added, passing her the German copy of the hobbit he had got her for Christmas. 'this should be a lot easier than the lord of the rings'

Valeria smiled widely, opening up the book to find he had folded a piece of paper in it. It was the booking for the lord of the rings set tour they were going to go on on her birthday.

Growing old is, unfortunately, compulsory but I thought I'd make it better by taking you to your happy place. And I thought we'd start the new year off together, just you and me. Ich liebe dich. Seb he had scribbled on it with his extremely neat handwriting.

Valeria didn't know what to say, Seb was just so perfect at everything he did.

'this is way too much for my birthday. I got you vinyls and a cake. You make me look so cheap' she told him.

'Schatzi, how many times do I have to tell you that I don't care about money?' he asked. 'stop worrying and just enjoy, please'

Some 20+ hours later

Valeria walked out of Auckland airport unsure if her life was just a dream. She pinched her own arm, as she looked out to the sea of cars and taxis in front of her. They had left Germany in the early hours of the 29th of December and they had reached New Zealand late on the 30th. Valeria felt knackered but Seb had already told her they had a 2 hour drive down to Matamata, she had offered for her to drive for half of the trip but Seb told her he would take care of it. He had just gone to pick the car up and told her to wait for him. She was standing outside in the warmth, her body confused by the jetlag and the change of season. She texted her family to update them on what felt like the most unbelievable day of her life, just as a black city car stopped in front of her.

'hey beautiful, do you need a ride?' Seb asked her, as he rolled the window down.

'sorry, my fiancée is actually coming to pick me up' she joked, as she opened the back to put the suitcases in.

'it's always the best ones who are taken' he stated, as she got in. 'got you coffee'

'you know me too well' Valeria replied. 'thank you'

Valeria watched as Seb relaxed on his seat, driving on the motorway. She had dated the man for ten month, lived with him and was engaged to him and her knees still weakened when she looked at him. Not only he was a pretty handsome guy, but he also was one of the best people she had ever met. She never thought she could love anyone as much as she had loved Jules but Seb had proved her wrong.

Seb had just said something Valeria didn't catch.

'What, Seb, sorry? I was in my head' she asked.

'just said we should be there soon' he pointed at the sat nav.

'good, I can't wait to hit the bed'

'you're a sloth! I swear in the past 11 months I've known you, you spent... 8 months sleeping' he joked.

'that is factually impossible' Valeria replied, as he got off the motorway.