"All's well that ends well to end up with you"
Oscar Piastri had been chasing after the one girl who never seemed to stop running. Having been best friends with her since they were ten, Oscar was realising that he had more than friend feelings for a...
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Leilani sat slumped in the backseat of her grandparents' car, her gaze fixed on the winding road leading to the airport. She barely registered the reassuring voices of her grandparents in the front seats, promising her they'd call every day and reminding her of all the things they would do together next time. But it felt distant, unreal, and her heart was heavy. As they passed by the green fields that lined her hometown, it felt like a part of her was being left behind, tucked away in every tree, every farmhouse, every memory.
Oscar, sitting beside her, tried his best to keep up a cheerful stream of conversation. His voice was soothing, familiar, but even his optimism couldn't shake her mood. She managed a few nods here and there, an occasional smile that felt more like an effort than she would admit, but her heart just wasn't in it. She wasn't ready to leave yet.
The airport was buzzing with the usual travelers coming and going, the bright overhead lights almost blinding as they approached the terminal. Each step closer to the gate felt heavier.
Then, as if the universe wanted to remind her how little control she had, their flight was delayed. Leilani let out a frustrated sigh, slumping into one of the rigid seats at the gate. She hated waiting—especially now, with too much time to dwell on what she was leaving behind. Oscar sat beside her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. He didn't say anything this time, and she appreciated that more than he might ever know.
Finally, hours later, they boarded. The plane's cabin lights were dimmed, casting everything in a muted glow as passengers settled in. Leilani buckled herself in, her eyelids heavy from both the late hour and the weight of her emotions. She glanced at Oscar beside her, his expression as tired as hers but with a touch of warmth that eased some of the ache inside her.
"It's a good thing I'm not piloting this plane," she murmured, watching the last few passengers find their seats.
"Why's that?" Oscar turned to her, a small smile tugging at his lips.
She blinked, almost too tired to explain.
"I'd crash it," Leilani said flatly, then hesitated. "I really should've added context to that."
Oscar let out a laugh, the sound low and genuine in the quiet of the cabin. "You think?"
She couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips.
"I just meant...I'm tired, exhausted, and don't want to leave." Her voice grew softer with each word, the truth settling between them.
"I know, Lani." Oscar's face softened, his gaze full of understanding.
