PLAY PRETEND | Oscar Piastri

02

"Daniel was right," Francesca said to the Mercedes driver and close friend George, "this isn't getting more fun with me drinking more champagne." Forcing a laugh out of the brit.

Francesca had been avoiding sponsors for about an hour now. She had also been at the gala for an hour, successful night if you'd ask her. Sure she had shortly spoken to Christian who pleaded with her to try, getting saved by Max, moving on to Alex who got approached by press making her move to Charles with whom she shared a few dances, leaving him for Pierre and Kika who safely delivered her to George. Don't forget about the little pit stops she made at the bar and bathroom.

"Have you spoken to the new Mclaren driver?" George asked the brunette girl. "Not yet, Oscar Piastri right?" She wasn't sure why she said right, she knew his name was Oscar, "Didn't he dominate in the other formulas?" George nervously chuckled, "I believe so, just like you."

"Like you didn't the years before me G!" Francesca always was one step behind George. He made it into formula 3 first, same for formula 2, he got a championship first and eventually an f1 seat first. He teases her about it but Francesca never lets him forget who signed them. See, George started with Williams, eventually working his way up to Mercedes. While Francesca went from F2 straight to RedBull. "But to answer your question. No I haven't, I want to say I'll introduce myself tonight but you know me. Maybe pre season testing?" she questioned out loud.

"Bloody hell Frankie, just go and say hi somewhere tonight." George eyes scanned the room, "and there you have him. Hey Oscar!" he said a bit to loud trough the entire room. Completely embarrassing Francesca as he pulled her along by her wrist. "Oi Russell, I'm not your child."

"Might as well be," he said letting out a breathy laugh. Oscar had heard the pair bicker upon their arrival, looking by his facial expressions at least. George always had a habit of getting Francesca into uncomfortable situations. He wasn't the only one, just ask Lando or Pierre about it. "I'm George, nice to officially meet you," he extended his hand to the Rookie. Francesca remembered how the first FIA gala was for her. Despite knowing some of the boys very well from their karting days, she only stuck to Max until he forced her to talk with Carlos. Yet Lando, Oscar his teammate was nowhere to be seen. "I'm Oscar," the boy said softly now looking over the Francesca who had made no move to introduce herself. That was until she felt an elbow hit her ribs, "Frankie," George mumbled trying to be quiet but Oscar heard. "Ow. Fuck George." she quickly looked Oscar in his eyes, "Francesca Davis." was all she said.

Francesca was already feeling anxious. She knew it wasn't George his intention, he was actually trying to help the girl knowing she wasn't the best at making friends. Her breathing was starting to grow heavier as George and Oscar continued their small talk. Francesca was completely zoned out until she felt a hand on her back. "Hermosa," a thick Spanish accent said.

You see where George knew how to get Francesca into an uncomfortable situation, Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen knew how to get her out of it. Carlos instantly calmed the girl down. "Hey guys," Carlos said to George and Oscar who paused their conversation upon his arrival. Francesca only shot him a look but he knew exactly what she meant, "Lando already introduced me to Oscar a while ago. He's cool."

Francesca glanced over to Oscar, she could swear she saw his cheeks turn red, cute she thought. However she bluntly said, "So?" breaking eye contact glancing around the room. That's when she saw yet another sponsor approach, the horribly smelling old man from Oracle. She left without saying a thing but shot Carlos and George a quick look. "I'm sorry about her." George apologised.

"Not your child George!" she yelled as she headed over to Max but Carlos followed her, leaving the Australian rookie standing there completely dumbfounded.

"That's not how you make friends Frankie." Francesca grabbed another glass of champagne while Max just laughed at her and Carlos. "Not here to make friends."

"You kind off are," Christian Horner said arriving with the Oracle sponsor she just tried to run from.

———

After what could be described as an boring and stiff conversation Francesca had found shelter in Kika. She was actually called Francisca, the girls basically sharing their first name but both going by different nicknames. Kika is the girlfriend of Pierre Gasly, the two actually met trough Francesca. Even though Kika is only 20 the two work great together. Francesca would always say Kika is too mature for her age while Pierre is way too immature.

Tonight she seemed to have lost her boyfriend to Pierre his own boyfriend and former teammate Yuki meaning the girls could spent some time together. "Isn't Charles his friend Hugo something for you?" the girls were seated at the bar, sipping on some more champagne. "The boxer? My god Kika don't you ever learn."

"I don't, I hate you're type. The boxer is hot, your type is boring. Maybe be Charles himself now that he and Charlotte are broken up? He's more your thing right?" Francesca stifled a laugh as the two girls did everything but share their type. You see Kika liked a stereotypical man, one who's jacked, extrovert and knew his way around women. Just like Pierre. That while Francesca hated the smooth talking guys who always got what they wanted. She liked a calm, kind and yet funny guy. He didn't have to be ripped, tall and shouldn't have to know his way around a woman. Francesca was into the awkward guys and secretly would like to see the way they squirmed when she flirted with them.

"I don't care that you find it boring. It saved me from surviving with these guys. And Charles! Seriously? Love Cha too much for that." Kika rested her head on her best friends shoulder for a few seconds, "I don't get how you do it. If I we're in you're shoes I would've jumped all of them at least once. Some a few more times than once."

"Carlos right? He's the one ha Kieks," Pierre said who at some point had gotten behind the girls with Max and Charles. Both girls jumped up but as Kika yelped out of fear all Francesca would do was laugh. "You guys are the best. Oh and yeah, Kika would totally jump Carlos."

author speaking!
have not proofread, so extremely sorry for the mistakes! anyways that took a while but i'm back. hi thanks for reading another chapter and your patience.

much love, lou 💕