sun-kissed

It had been a few days since Alfie had returned home, and she still hadn't called George.

She had tried, but everytime she unlocked her phone, went into her contacts and found George's number, she'd hesitate before eventually turning the phone off.

Diana and Henry had left Alfie to rest for a while, refusing to let her do anything around the house. It was driving Alfie mad. They were treating her like a hospital patient, and not being able to do anything was eating her up inside.

One day, when Alfie was up in her room, mindlessly scrolling through her phone, for lack of anything better to do, when she heard the door knock downstairs, she went to get up, but Diana walked passed her room, looking at her through the open doorway. "Don't worry love I'll get it."

Before Alfie could argue, Diana had headed down the stairs and into the hallway. Alfie heated the door open, and muffled talking, and then footsteps. "Alf sweetheart!" Diana called up from the bottom of the stairs. "It's for you."

Alfie frowned to herself before standing up and heading downstairs. She gave her mother a confused look when she reached her. "Who?"

Diana gave her a small sympathetic smile and rubbed her shoulder. "Just go greet them." before she headed up the stairs.

Alfie was even more confused. She shook her head and walked out onto the hallway and towards the door. There was a man stood in the doorway, his back facing her, but she knew who it was.

"George?"

George turned around and began to talk before Alfie could stop him. "Look I know you probably don't want to see me but I needed to talk to you. It was killing me and-"

"George." Alfie cut in, before he began to ramble. George abruptly stopped himself, and looked at Alfie, waiting for her to say something.

Alfie bit the inside of her cheek as she looked at George. He looked rough. He had large bags under his eyes from where he hadn't slept, and his hair seemed messy. She sighed before turning her head to check no one was behind her.

She turned back to George. "Not here. They don't know." she said, referring back to her parents.

George's face turned into an expression of relief and nodded. "I'll go wait in the car for you." he said.

Alfie nodded at him, and went to shut the door so she could go change upstairs, but George placed his hand on the door. "Thank you."

"I haven't forgiven you yet. Just, get in the car." Alfie said, in an attempt to brush it off.

George nodded and walked towards the car. Alfie shut the door and ran upstairs, grabbing some clothes to change into. "Mum!" she called out when she was slipping on her shoes.

Diana poked her head into the room. "Yes love?" Alfie stood up and headed out of her room standing next to her mother. "I'm going out for a drive with George."

Diana nodded. "Okay, is everything alright? He didn't look okay when I answered the door."

Alfie nodded, giving her mother a half hearted smile. "Yeah, he's okay" she answered hesitantly.

Diana hesitated, but nodded. She gave Alfie a small hug and rubbed her shoulders. "Stay safe."

Alfie gave her mother a kiss on the cheek before she headed back downstairs and out the door. She walked towards George's car, getting in the front seat.

George looked at her once she got in, and started the engine. "Where to?"

"Anywhere. Just away from that house. Haven't been out of there in days." Alfie said.

George let out a weak chuckle and began to drive.

They arrived at a coffee shop near a beach, George parked up the car, and they walked into the cafe. There was a free booth beside a window and they sat down facing eachother.

Neither of them spoke for a while, until George broke the scilence. "How are you feeling? After the crash."

Alfie shrugged. "Okay I guess. Not got any permanent inguries. Few bruises but, other than that fine. "

"Okay, so you're fine physically." George said, "Mentally?"

Alfie took a while to answer this question. "I don't know. I mean, it was scary but, I've just got to get on with it you know. That's our job." she said dismissively.

George tilted his head. "Alfie." he said, knowing that wasn't actually how she felt.

"Fine. I feel scared about the next race. I feel scared of Max, I feel scared about going back to Alfa after having cost them points in a race they needed them. I feel scared right now because I don't know how the rest of this conversation is going to go." she blurted out.

"Hey." George said, his voice suprisingly calm. "It's okay. I'm scared too."

A waiter came over to their table, asking for their order. George ordered, then Alfie, and the waiter went off to prepare their drinks.

Alfie didn't know how to start the conversation. She knew there was a reason George had wanted to talk. But she wasn't sure how to get to it.

George seemed to though. "Alfie, I know I sprung a lot on you in the hospital but-" he sighed. "I had to tell you. I couldn't wait, I didn't know of I'd get the chance to speak to you again."

"Yeah and who's fault is that?" she said, slightly harsher than she had hoped.

George bit his lip. "I deserved that."

"Yeah you did. You didn't even let me explain. You just assumed." Alfie said, slightly more confident in what she was saying.

The waiter came with their drinks and George grabbed his wallet from his pocket. He went to pay but Alfie kicked him. in the shin, and giving the waiter a note from her hand. George galred at her as the waiter walked away, but continued with the conversation.

"I shouldn't have assumed. I should have known you'd never do that but, Giovinazzi just got into my head. I was-" he hesitated. "I was jealous, in all honesty."

Alfie's eyes widened. "W-what?"

George ran a hand through his hair. "I was jealous okay? I wanted to be where he was in that moment. And it just got the better of me."

Alfie couldn't process what George had just said. He was jealous of Giovinazzi? Because he had kissed her? Of all the people...

"Yeah I know. I was jealous of Giovinazzi. Laugh at me." George said.

"I'm not laughing." Alfie said. "It's ridiculous, but I'm not laughing at you."

George laughed at himself, running a hand through his hair again. Alfie reached over the table and grabbed his hand stopping him. "Stop it, you're making it worse."

George looked from their hands back at Alfie. She realised she was still holding on and let go abruptly.

She placed her hands on the table infront of her, but George reached over the table and took Alfie's hand back into his own."What can I do to make you forgive me. Anything. Tell me and I'll do it." his voice sounded desperate.

Alfie sighed. "George, I don't know."

"Please Alfie. I can't do this. I can't have you mad at me." he pleaded.

Alfie rubbed the back of George's hand wit her thumb. "George I can't forgive you like it's nothing. You ghosted me for weeks, you wouldn't talk to me."

"I know, and I regret ever minute I spent away from you." George said. "Alfie, I realised I had feelings for you, plucked up the courage to tell you, and had my heart broken by you all in the space of five hours. I was vulnerable and emotional. But I was stupid to not speak to you. And I am truly sorry."

Alfie shook her head. She didn't know what to say."I need air." she said, before standing up and walking out of the cafe.

"Alfie wait!" George called after her. He struggled to get up from the where he sat, and quietly cursed as he hit his knee on the table. He followed Alfie out of the cafe and onto the slip road down to the beach. "Alfie!"

The beach was empty, the sun had began to set, and all the families had decided to head home. He could see Alfie walking along the sand, and jogged up to her. He grabbed her arm turning her around, and he saw Alfie, her face full of emotion. "What?"

George's words caught in his throat as he saw her expression, and the tears slowly filling her eyes. "What do you want from me George?" she said, he voice breaking. "I want to forgive you I just don't know how okay? We've never done this before, we've never argued. I don't know how this goes." she said, gesturing between them. I want you back. I just- I don't know what to do anymore."

She began to ramble on and George stepped forward, taking her hand in his and placing his other on her cheek, lifting her head, and pressing their lips together.

Alfie paused slightly, trying to process what was happening, before she began to kiss George back. George dropped her hand and cupped her face with both hands, and Alfie wrapped her arms around his neck.

It felt right. She didn't know why, or when anything had changed between them, but standing on that beach, kissing George just felt right.

They pulled away from eachother for air, and George pushed a few strands of hair out of her face. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"

Alfie placed cupped his face, shaking her head. "Sh, Sh it's okay. Don't apologise." she said, rubbing his cheek with her thumb.

George looked at her for a few seconds, before pulling her into another kiss. Alfie melted under his touch, as he dropped his hands to her waist.

When they pulled away again, George rested his forehead on Alfie's. "Alf, I love you. I don't know how you feel. If you even know how you feel, but I know. So this is me telling you."

Alfie bit her lip slightly. She didn't know how she felt. One side of her was telling her that she couldn't live George, there were too many problems that came with it. But the other seemed to think otherwise. She thought back to everything that had happened in the past couple of months, and realised everything she'd ever thought about, everything she'd ever done, was about George.

It had never been like that before.

George seemed to gather this from her expression and squeezed her waist lightly. "Take a few days. Make sure you know what you want."

"Know what you want."

Those were the exact words Maria had used on the plane. Alfie took a deal breath before she fitted everything into place. Maria had been right.

"I want you."

George sighed "Alfie you don't have to say something just because we're here now, take some time to-"

"I don't need time. I've had time." Alfie said, shaking her head. "I thought about you every minute when you weren't speaking to me. I thought about you, just before I went into that barrier and I didn't realise why until now." she took a deap breath.

"George I love you."

She always had, it just took her a few years to realise it.

not to be annoying.... but it's chapter 22, and I'm a swiftie. so I feel obliged to do this.

*coughs*

IDK ABOUT YOU BUT I'M FEELING 22

anyways

THEY KISSED
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
#GEORLFIE4LIFE

i still don't really like that ship name

BUT AHHHHHHHHHH

I HAVE A QUESTION

how would you lot feel about a Dakota and Lando sequal? 👀

oh not to worry you but there's one chapter of this story left too. <3