𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞; oscar piastri

PART TWENTY TWO

So shit is getting real

Word count; 2,270

Tomás

— May 25th, 2023. Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy.

Our flight to Monaco was way earlier than any of us would've preferred - primarily because we had only gotten back from the club at four, and the plane was set to leave at seven thirty. As a result, everyone had practically fallen asleep the second we took our seats, not even bothering to stay awake for the round of champagne that usually welcomed us. Suddenly, going out for our last night in Italy seemed not so much of a good idea.

Shutting the restroom door behind me, I stumbled back to my seat, trying not to trip over any lingering feet in the aisle - specifically Lando, who had taken the liberty to spread over two parallel chairs, not a care for anyone who would attempt to get past; it was already difficult enough with the headache of the night before, not to mention how bright the sky was outside, blindly igniting the walls of the jet. Nevertheless, I managed to step over him, only to stop as I recognised I wasn't the only one awake.

I crashed onto the chair opposite him, "Surprised you're up."

Oscar glanced at me with a smile, though it quickly dissolved. I chewed on the inside of my cheek, examining his frame, how his shoulders never seemed to relax.

He was thinking about it.

"Did it help?" I asked, a smirk lingering on my lips.

His gaze shot at me, taken off guard, and my smirk couldn't help but widen.

"Just wanted to clarify." I teased.

"Do we have to talk about it?" He countered, returning his view to the window, the clouds below.

I tilted my head; neither of us had brought up what had happened on the club terrace, mainly because we hadn't had the time to. And frankly, it hadn't changed anything. In my eyes, it was just a kiss - or three - a gesture to help him finally get over Lily. And I wasn't even sure it had worked. If anything, it had taken his mind off of it - but for how long?

Another hour passed, and at last we landed, ushered through the airport to private security. Placing my bag on the conveyor belt, I stepped through the scanner, only to be waved aside, where Alex also happened to be waiting. I exhaled; we'd barely said a word since the morning prior, perhaps on our own fault, constantly avoiding one another as if to pretend things were the same as they were to begin with.

Because they were, right?

"This happens to me every time." She said anxiously, treading on glass. "I think it's something in my shoes."

I nodded, keeping my gaze elsewhere. I noticed her frame sink, as if the statement she'd made was to test the waters, and as a result she had been burnt. I didn't think anything more of it, until we had both been privately scanned and were ready to rejoin with the others.

"Taz," She touched my arm briefly, dragging my attention back to her, "I wanted to say sorry."

"What for?" I questioned, as if I didn't know.

She stared at me, only to clear her throat, "About- what I said-"

I picked up my bag from the end of the conveyor belt, only to realise she was still staring at me, anticipating an answer, anything to say things were okay. I swallowed, the words caught at the back of my throat. Her head bowed, and we returned to the others, though I couldn't help but notice the way she muttered in Charles' ear, as if to explain what had happened.