My time | OP

14.

Oscar's POV

There was just over a week between Jeddah and the Australian grand prix, so I had been spending some time at my family home here. Briar had been spending some time at a different hotel with Valeria and Robert since they had flown in the other day to see the race. I had thoroughly enjoyed the time I had been able to spend with my family and my friends, but I had desperately missed Briar's company. Lando had gone straight to the hotel when we had landed, but I had seen on his social media that he had spent some time with Briar. This only made my jealousy grow stronger.

I had woken up in my childhood bed, only just recovering from the jet lag from the time difference between Saudi and Australia. I had awoken from my slumber with what felt like the most awful hangover. I had the worst migraine you could imagine and I felt like I could throw up at any given moment. It was probably the guilt that was now catching up with me. 

To make matters worse, Briar still wasn't talking to me. She hadn't said one word to me since we had landed in Australia. Instead she had a member of her team to send me my schedule for the week. The first time that I would see her would be when I have to meet her for our regular staff meetings when we check into the hotel that she booked. But first we would go for lunch. Thankfully, she hadn't missed that from her schedule, despite not having the pride to send me the document herself. We were due to book into our hotel at 3pm and so I decided that I would try to apologise during lunch because I didn't want it to get in the way of her work or my training either. I had a lot riding on this weekend, whether I wanted it to or not.

Trying to forget about the whole situation that had happened and what was still yet to come, I messaged Robert to see if he was about time. I had seen on Valeria's snapchat story that she was out for breakfast with Briar. Me and Robert had stayed good friends, even after leaving F2. After spending so long at Prema together and sharing so many races and good memories, it would be one of my greatest losses if I no longer had him as a friend.

'Hey Rob, hoping for lunch and a catch up when you're not busy.'

'For sure, just message me a place. Long time no see.'

After the whole incident at the end of our F2 season, Robert was one of few people that provided me with any comfort. I faced a lot of hate from Briar's fans after what happened. A lot of people blame me for the whole thing and hated me even more after a pitlane fan had recorded what I had said to her. That video will always come back to bite me on the arse. It is another thing that I will never forgive myself for. Having Robert there did make matters a lor easier, especially during the times that I has blamed myself for the crash. Hopefully today, I could be provided with a similar amount of comfort right now.

Me and Robert met for lunch a couple of hours later at a cafe place near where I live and discussed what it was like for me to be in F1 and spoke about the season. Small talk really. But small talk was over and I genuinely needed his help. He had been talking to Briar. Of course I knew about their group chat. Briar would never shut up about it.

"Hey Rob, do you know how Briar's been? We've not really spoken a lot recently."

"Yeah, I heard. She was telling us about it the other day. She's really pissed with you, you know that don't you?"

"How pissed is pissed?" I asked.

"Just be glad you don't speak Russian." I'd forgotten that about her, she always had a talent for languages. Briar spoke fluent French, German and Russian. I remember that I always used to find her swearing in Russian.

"How come Briar can speak Russian so well?" I questioned never actually finding out how she could speak the language in such an attractive manner.

" Did you not know that her mum's Russian, she's only actually half British." He said unconcerned, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.