VIPER || Oscar Piastri

Chapter 33

[POV: Narrator]

With Baku now long behind her, Andi sat with her feet up in only of the many lounges in the Miami Circuit's Paddock.

She had jetted off to Miami with her dad only days after the race at Baku had ended, leaving Oscar to confront the delicate task of revealing their relationship to his mother.

It went okay. If Oscar were to tell Andi, which he hasn't yet, he'd probably tone the whole ordeal down. That meaning he'd definitely fail to mention that he could barely get the word 'girlfriend' out; his leg bouncing under the table and his shoulders tensed up to his neck. He'd also fail to mention (even to himself) that the moment his mother started to ask about Andi, subsequently taking his mind off of everything but Andi, his leg stopped bouncing and his shoulders eased.

He was right when he said that his mother was perceptive. She asked every question under the sun; Full government name, family history, favourite colour, does she like fairy bread? She's never tried it? Well we'll have to change that, won't we? Where did you meet? Oh Lando was there! How is he? They get along great? Great! If Lando likes her, I like her. Do you like her? Well there's no harm in asking! Does she like you? Just answer the question, Oscar! — You know, the works.

And maybe — as she is usually so able to detect deception when it greets her — that is why it came as such a surprise to Oscar that she believed every word out of his mouth; why she believed him so easily and why, despite his nerves getting the better of him on countless occasions, she didn't doubt him for a second?

Maybe she was having an off day, he deduced.

Today marks the day of his departure from Baku, and therefore the end of Andi's quiet surroundings. As the drivers would soon begin arriving, the empty lounge would soon be filled with people, their conversations and their noise.

Andi would've tried to enjoy her final day of alone-time, if only that alone-time hadn't been cut short by the early arrival of an unexpected driver.

Lando Norris was sat opposite Andi, his arms crossed tightly to his chest, both his legs crossed too. Every now and then, he'd let out a sigh —which gradually got louder and louder the more Andi ignored him— and he'd mutter words under his breath that were probably spiteful in nature.

Finally, Andi decided to give into Lando's childish endeavour with a long-awaited question — however forced it was. "What's wrong, Lando?" She asked, immediately hazarding a reaction.

"Thanks a lot for telling me you were dating my teammate!" Lando exploded, shifting in his chair and giving Andi a death glare.

The girl shrugged his outburst off, "Lando, we literally only just decided to start telling people."

He slumped into the chair, avoiding eye contact. "Yeah, well, you could've told me sooner! You should've told me first, since I'm your best friend." Though that last part was a mumble, Andi still heard it.

Without him seeing, she glared at him and thought, Don't even try that 'best friend' tactic again.

"What, because I have to tell you everything?" She protested, protecting her right to privacy.

"Yes! Best friends share things." He said louder, making sure Andi heard him this time.

He's six, I swear, she thought.

"Lando— Since when have you ever 'shared' anything important with me." Andi leaned forward in her seat, genuinely curious.

"Uhh, since forever!" Lando made an obvious sort of expression, as if Andi should know exactly what he was talking about, which she didn't. "Remember when I told you that I had a huge phobia of wasps? And fish?"