Joel made his way down the paddock, highfiving everyone he knew. He couldn't wait to get back to work after the summer break but for now he was just grateful to be here supporting the team.
He was looking for Emily. She'd seemed really off all week and he wanted to check she was ok. She hadn't said as much but he suspected she'd had a fallout with Seb because she changed the subject everytime he mentioned the German's name.
He'd meant to speak to her after qualifying the previous day but hadn't had the chance. The race had not long finished so he was hoping to to catch her for five minutes before the debrief.
It hadn't been a great result for the team today. Seb had finished in fourth place and Lance hadn't finished at all after a mistake had sent him into the gravel. He saw Niall and Joe stood out the back of the Aston Martin garage so he headed over. They were bound to know where she was.
"Alright Joel. Good to see you up and about mate," Joe said.
"Cheers Joe. Have you seen Ems anywhere? I need to talk to her."
"Yes, she went into the motorhome. Think she went into one of the meeting rooms, said she had a private call to make."
"Cheers mate, I'll catch you later yeah?"
"You coming to the Golf Club?"
"Yeah I'll be there."
He headed into the motorhome and Kara pointed him in the right direction. He opened the door and slipped in.
Emily was sat on the table staring at her phone and seemed in a world of her own.
"Here you are! I've been looking for you."
She jumped, not hearing him enter the room.
"Joel, can I catch up with you later? I've got an important call to make."
"What's so important?"
"None of your business."
He reached out and grabbed her phone out of her hand.
"Give that back!" she snapped, trying to snatch it back. Joel turned his back on her and looked at her phone screen. There was an email on display.
"Emily, what the fuck? Team Penske? Indy car? You're thinking of leaving?"
"I haven't decided yet. I applied months back, before I made up with Seb. I forgot all about it. Then I got asked to attend a zoom interview. I think it might be a good idea. Seb's not talking to me. Everything is fucked up. Maybe a new start is what I need."
"Why isn't he talking to you?"
"That's not important. Now please, they're calling in 10 minutes. I need to run through what I'm going to say."
"You can't be serious Emily."
"I'm deadly serious Joel."
"You're mad."
"Thanks. Shut the door on your way out."
Joel shook his head in disbelief and left, slamming the door behind him.
***
Joel exited the motorhome. He was angry and upset. He couldn't lose his sister to Indy Car. Why would she want to leave? Was her fight with Seb that serious? Seb, maybe he'd be able to talk some sense into her. He started jogging towards the media pen.
He glanced around trying to find Seb. He spotted the familiar green cap on the far side talking to Natalie Pinkham. He headed round and tried to get Seb's attention.
***
Seb answered the same question for what felt like the hundredth time. He'd had enough of this shit. He was stressed and all he wanted was to go back to his room and chill.
The weekend had been totally rubbish. He was still furious with Emily and had ignored her attempts to talk to him. Then qualifying had been rubbish. He'd only managed to put the car sixth on the grid. He supposed he should be grateful that he was leaving Silverstone still in the lead of the championship.
He had just started his interview with Sky Sports F1 when he noticed Joel bouncing up and down behind Natalie. He frowned in confusion. What the hell was Joel doing? He looked at Britta and she shrugged her shoulders.
Antti went up to Joel and whatever Joel told him seemed to surprise him. The Finn came over.
"I'm sorry to interrupt Natalie but we need a word with Seb immediately. It's important."
"OK no worries, I can wait a few minutes."
Antti waved Joel over.
"What the fuck's going on Joel?"
"Seb, you've got to do something. You've got to stop her. She can't go."
"Joel, calm down. Breathe. What are you talking about?"
"Emily. She's going to leave."
"What?" Seb asked, freezing.
"She's got a Zoom interview with Team Penske. She wants to move to Indy Car. You can't let her go Seb. You love her. She loves you. Seb, please. The interview's in 3 minutes."
Seb vaulted over the metal barrier.
"Seb," called Britta. "The interviews!"
"Fuck the interviews!"
Seb ran as fast as he could back to the Aston Martin motorhome, dodging various team members.
"Kara, where's Emily?" he asked as he burst through the door.
"Room 1."
"Thank you, " he said, running towards the corridor.
He threw the door open.
Emily whirled around in her chair. She was sat in front of a laptop.
"When were you going to tell me? Don't do this Emily. Don't leave me."
"This is none of your business Sebastian. You've made it clear that you're done. So fuck off. I have an interview to attend."
Seb acted on instinct. He slammed the laptop shut.
"Over my dead body," he snarled.
He stooped and lifted her up out of the chair and threw her over his shoulder.
"Put me down," she cried, beating her fists on his back. He stomped out of the room and headed to the stairs. "Sebastian, put me down this instant. "
He didn't answer and continued on his way up the stairs.
He let go of her with one hand and opened his room door. He carried her in, kicking the door shut behind him. He dumped her down on the sofa and turned, locking the door.
"Sebastian, let me go, I mean it. This is kidnapping!"
"I'm not letting you leave me Emily. I can't do this without you."
"Niall's perfectly capable. He can do the job as well as I can, now let me go."
"I don't mean as my fucking strategist Emily. I love you!! I need you! Please, don't leave me. I'm begging you!"
"Seb, open the door." She tried to dodge around him. He sidestepped and blocked her.
"You're not going. You're mine. I want you back and I'm not letting you leave like this."
She tried to slip around the other side of him.
"This is ridiculous Seb."
"No, what's ridiculous is being apart when we could be together. Why waste time? Emily, be mine."
She shoved him hard on the chest.
"How dare you? You ignore me all weekend. And now you think I'm going to give in just because you say you love me."
"I do love you. And you love me."
"More fool me," she said, laughing bitterly.
"Emily please. I am literally begging you." He fell to his knees in front of her.
"Please Emily. Don't go. Please don't leave me." He started sobbing.
Emily froze. She was so angry with him but he looked broken and defeated. She fell to her knees in front of him, taking his face between in her hands.
"Seb, please dont do this. This is for the best. We only end up hurting each other."
"Best for who? Not for me and if you're honest with yourself not for you."
She went to stand. He grabbed her arm and pulled her against him.
"Emily please," he begged. "Stay with me. Emily I love you. Marry me Emily, marry me."