VIPER || Oscar Piastri

Chapter 104

[POV: Andreanna Saunterre]

I took the stairs two at a time, jaw clenched so tight my head started to hurt.

I wasn't even fully outside before my phone buzzed again.

Charles: On my way now!

I exhaled sharply through my nose. "For f—"

But I didn't finish the thought. Just shoved the phone back in my pocket harder than necessary and kept walking until I hit the end of the curb, where the streetlight glowed harshly overhead and the sky had dipped into that bruised grey-blue colour.

My hands were shaking. Not with fear, not even with anger anymore — just adrenaline, and whatever cocktail of feelings happens when someone you sort of care about a little bit looks at you like you've just kicked them square in the chest.

I dragged a hand through my hair, staring down at the concrete. My shoes were too new. A little stiff — I could already feel a blister forming at the back of my heel. I shifted my weight, then crossed my arms, trying not to replay the last ten minutes too much.

"Don't go," he'd said.

I scoffed out loud, bitter. Too late! If he hadn't waited until the absolute last second—if he'd said anything earlier—if he hadn't acted like everything was cool, I'd have cancelled, or—

...But no.

I stopped myself midway, lips tightening.

No.

I wouldn't have cancelled, would I?

Even if he had said something earlier, even if he'd asked me not to go in the right way at the right time, I still would've gone.

Who am I kidding?!

I turned my head slowly, staring down the street like Charles might already be coming around the corner. A few cars passed. None of them him.

I exhaled again, slower this time, and tried to let my thoughts settle instead of crashing over each other.

Oscar's voice rang in my head again.

"One look from him and you drop everything. And I'm not gonna wait around for you to drop me, too."

I winced.

That one had hurt — not because it was mean, but because it felt like something he'd been holding in for a long time. Like he'd finally said it out loud, and it tasted just as bad in his mouth as it did in hers.

And the worst part?

He was dead on.

"Every time, you'll always go running straight back to him."

He was right.

I was doing exactly what he said I would.

Again.

Running back to Charles, again.