The Secret of Us // Oscar Piastri

22

"Casey, no." Audrey shook her head at her friend."You're not wearing that." She said, her tone stern. Casey scrunched up her face in confusion. "What's wrong with it?" She asked, referring to the navy blue one-piece she had on her body. "We're in Monaco. It's all models out here, you can't wear a one-piece."

"Well, it's all I have with me." Casey said, letting herself fall onto her bed. "Listen," Audrey began, sitting down on the bed bedside her. "I think you might have a chance with Oscar. Going by what he said last night, whatever he's tangled up in it's going anywhere. So don't you want try and seduce him a bit?"

Casey propped herself up on her elbows to look at her friend. "Would he not seduced by me in this?" Casey asked and Audrey faced softened. "He's surrounded by models in that Paddock, Case." Audrey told her, bringing one of her hands to her cheek. "And you know what they all wear when they're on yachts? Bikinis." She said and Casey rolled her eyes, letting her head fall back into the bed. "You can burrow one of mine." Audrey said before getting up from the bed and leaving the room, presumably to fetch Casey a bikini.

It wasn't long until Audrey came back with a small amount of fabric in her hands. "But I like my one-piece. And I've gotten guys while wearing it." Casey bargained, trying to get out of having to wear the bikini. She didn't have anything personally against bikinis. Maybe one day she'd wear one, it's just that today she didn't feel like wearing one. "Yeah and no offence, Case. But have you ever managed to keep any of those guys?"

Casey sighed, taking the bikini out of her friends hands. "Okay. I'll wear it." She huffed and a smile grew on Audrey's face. "Great. Put on that pair of light denim shorts over it, the ones you have with the rips in them and meet me down stairs." Audrey made her way to the door. "I think we're leaving to go to Oscar's soon." She said before leaving and Casey let out a sigh, already fed up of today. Between what Rowan said last night and what Audrey just said, it was safe to say that Casey's head was all over the place.

Casey had never felt like enough and she didn't feel like it was possible for her to be wrong her whole life. She'd done the whole therapy thing when she was younger and all she was ever told is that herself worth problems come from how her dad turned his back on her family, making her feel like she wasn't enough. Casey didn't believe that though. She just believed that the only gift she got was her career. That when it came to singing and songwriting, she was pretty decent. But when it came to everything else, she was lacking.

It hurt Casey to think that she wasn't much to look at, nor was she much inside. God, she felt like such a complicated mess. However, it also made Casey feel guilty for feeling bad when she got to travel the world for a job and have a near endless supply of money because of it. She knew that most people would kill for that. And yet, here she was wishing she was anybody else.

Regardless, Casey did what Audrey said and got changed into the bikini and denim shorts. As she headed down stairs, she could feel everyone's eyes on her which didn't do much to boost herself esteem. "Case, where's your one-piece?" Rowan asked, stood by the front door and peeling an orange in his hands. "I could swear you're like trauma bonded to that old thing."

"She's trying something new." Audrey smiled up at her and Rowan scrunched up his face. Casey looked around, Oscar wasn't there. "Where's Oscar?" She asked and Lando's voice was the first one she heard. "In his car. He's waiting for us. Guy is chewing at the bit to get to unpacking his stuff." Lando said with the roll of his eyes. It was quite early and Casey imagined he didn't normally like to get up early and that's why he seemed annoyed and a little irritable.

"We better get going then." Casey said, putting the bag she'd packed for the yacht later over her shoulder. She made a move for the door and everyone followed her. Lando went in the front of Oscar's car with him, while Casey and Audrey had Rowan in-between them. "Seriously case, why aren't you wearing your one piece." He asked, his voice low so the boys in the front wouldn't hear, and then he came to realisation. "Wait, isn't that yours Audrey?" He asked, turning to the other side of him. "Yeah, can you believe she didn't have a bikini with her? I told her she needed to try a little harder if she wanted Oscar to like her." Audrey said, typing on her phone. Rowan didn't say anything, just looked at Casey with an apologetic look.