Beyond the Track - Oscar Piastri bxb

Moments that matter

Oscar took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he adjusted his shirt in the mirror. He'd been ready for at least ten minutes, but something kept him lingering in his room, glancing at the clock, glancing back at his reflection, and then out the window where the sun hung low in the sky. There was no official reason to feel this way—it was just a casual meet-up. They were just hanging out, like friends, like two people who happened to get along.

But a part of him knew it was more than that, and it left him feeling both excited and strangely nervous. Nick was different. Their connection, whatever it was, felt like it had a pulse of its own, and it surprised him how quickly he'd started looking forward to their time together.

Finally, with a quick shake of his head, he turned from the mirror, grabbed his phone, and headed out. The hallway was quiet as he made his way down to the lobby, his heart picking up with every step. When the elevator doors opened, he spotted Nick immediately, leaning against a pillar, his face softened by the warm afternoon light filtering in through the lobby windows.

Nick looked up just then, catching Oscar's gaze, and his face lit up with that familiar smile. Oscar felt a small rush at seeing him there, waiting for him.

"Hey," Nick greeted, his voice warm. He slid his phone into his pocket as he straightened up. "Ready?"

Oscar gave a small nod, a smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah. Where to?"

Nick grinned, his gaze flicking toward the street outside. "There's a quiet little spot I know. Just a bit out of the way. Thought you might like it."

Oscar followed him out into the cool evening air, and as they walked side by side, something about the rhythm of their steps together made him feel oddly at ease. The street wasn't busy, and they didn't say much as they wandered down the sidewalk. The city buzzed softly around them—the occasional car passing by, a group of people laughing in the distance—but it all felt muted, distant, as though it was just the two of them in this small bubble of time.

The air was fresh, the kind of crispness that signaled the end of the day, the golden light of sunset beginning to fade. Oscar took a deep breath, letting the moment settle over him, and for the first time in a while, he felt like he wasn't racing against the clock. He didn't have to be anywhere, didn't have to be anything other than what he was in that moment.

They didn't talk much at first. It was nice, really, to just walk in silence, the sound of their footsteps mixing with the distant city noise. It was calming, in a way that made Oscar feel like he could forget about everything—forget about the expectations, the constant drive to prove something.

They eventually made their way to a quiet overlook that Oscar hadn't noticed before. The city sprawled out below them, the lights flickering on one by one, as the sky deepened into twilight. Nick led them to a bench, and they both sat, the silence between them stretching comfortably.

Oscar looked out at the view but didn't really see it. His mind was still tangled up in thoughts of the past few weeks—of the pressure, the endless schedule, and the constant need to stay ahead. But sitting there next to Nick, he felt a shift, like the weight on his shoulders was a little bit lighter. It was strange, how much easier it was to be in this moment than to focus on anything else.

Nick broke the silence first, his voice soft. "Sometimes I just need to leave the bustle of the city when I need to clear my head."

Oscar turned his head slightly, surprised by the quiet sincerity in Nick's tone. He was used to the joking, playful side of Nick, but this was different. There was something more grounded about him in this moment, like he didn't need to fill the space with words.