VIPER || Oscar Piastri

Chapter 47

As the Monaco GP neared, two drivers were gossiping about the events of Lando's party. A day had already passed since it happened, yet people were still talking about it. (Everyone but Lando. He was still very much sulking.)

Max shook his head, still half in disbelief as he leaned against the walls of the paddock's lounge. "I mean, it was just pure chaos. Even for a Lando party." 

Next to him, Charles Leclerc let out a short laugh, shaking his head as he adjusted his gloves. "I think I saw Lando, like, twice the whole night."

Max laughed, "Mate, he had a full-on existential crisis."

Charles exhaled through his nose, glancing toward the track. "Sounds about right." 

Max raised an eyebrow as he spotted something. He smirked. "Hey, at least Oscar finally left the kitchen." 

Charles huffed, looking towards the same direction Max was. He turned just in time to see Oscar and Andi walking through the paddock together, hand-in-hand. Andi had sunglasses perched on her nose, her expressions chipper, while Oscar looked his usual calm and composed self. Max leant against the wall. A frown spread across his face when he saw Andi. "Lando gave me a right bollocking when she left," he said with clear disdain. "Made me herd everyone out by myself while he cried like a bloody toddler."

Andi couldn't help but catch Max shooting daggers at her. She just smiled at him and waved, thinking this was his slightly scary way of saying hi.

Max continued to tell Charles all about his night, still shaking his head at the memory. "You should've seen it. He was a wreck. He wouldn't even let me leave. And he wouldn't stop whining about Andi ditching him." The poor guy looked traumatised, continuing, "When I told him I was pretty sure she went home with Oscar, he was like— sobbing. Like, full on, crazy, intense, sobbing."

Charles butted into his rant, in a way that made it clear he hadn't been listening. "But don't you think its..." he shook his head.

Max paused mid-thought, looking down at the ground briefly before meeting Charles's gaze. "What?"

Charles shrugged, his eyes scanning the paddock around them. "I dont know, like... not Andi."

"Not Andi? I'm pretty sure that is Andi he's with—"

"No shit! Yea, I know it's Andi," he mocked, "I meant more like— it's unlike Andi to be so out there."

Max didn't answer right away. He wasn't sure what Charles was talking about. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to figure it out. "I mean... I guess? But isn't it a good thing that she's comfortable enough to be public with him?"

Charles glanced back over at Oscar and Andi, who were talking quietly as they headed toward the team garages. The entire situation—Andi, Oscar—felt more complicated to him.

Max then said, "she was pretty public during the summer—" to which he reacted in laughter. Charles, hearing it, snapped his head around and gave him a look.

"Hey." he said, making Max bow his head as if to apologise.

"Do you not find it strange? Nay... suspicious?" His voice dropped into something almost conspiratorial, cunning.

Max shrugged. "Well, maybe, I guess—"

"A girl that didn't even want them to print her first ever race win on the front pages because she thought it made her look 'too arrogant'," Charles said, stepping in closer, eyes narrowing as he tilted his head. "Remember that, Max? Remember that?"

Max gave a slow nod, thinking back.

"But now, suddenly, she's totally fine with her private love life being all over the news?" Charles pressed.