VIPER || Oscar Piastri

Chapter 132

[POV: Narrator]

"...that is not what happened, you sick, sick, liar," Andi was saying, stabbing her finger down onto the table. "You always do this. I remember it vividly, and that is not how it went."

"Yes, it is," Lando shot back immediately, leaning across with far too much confidence. "You—" he jabbed his own finger in her direction, "—said you could eat it in under two minutes, I said you couldn't, you failed spectacularly, and then—"

"Oh my god." Andi flopped back in her chair, already exasperated. "I didn't fail. I ate the thing. The whole thing, and if you say I—"

"You didn't! You had it under your tongue—"

"Oh, here we go."

"—or you chucked it over your shoulder while I blinked."

Carlos, who had been calmly demolishing his food while the two of them went back and forth, finally swallowed, sighed like he was tired of existing in the same atmosphere as them, and said, "This is so dumb. Who cares."

Andi immediately perked up. "Thank you! See, a voice of reason. A sane person."

"I didn't say you were right," Carlos cut in smoothly. "I said it was dumb." He picked up his glass of champagne, swirled it with the sort of fake sophistication that made Andi want to throw it in his face, then leaned it across the table toward her. "Here. You clearly need this."

She frowned at him. "What?"

"You're worked up," Carlos said, tilting the glass closer until she had to lean back in her chair to avoid it. "Which, in itself, is terrifying. So—champagne. Liquid cure. Magic potion. Nice juice."

Lando looked at her too, curious now, but Andi pushed the glass away with the tips of her fingers.

"No thanks."

The two pairs of eyes blinked at her in pure, unwavering shock.

"What do you mean, no?" Lando demanded.

"I mean no," Andi repeated firmly, crossing her arms like that might stop them from trying again.

Carlos leaned back, eyebrows raised, a little amused. "You're refusing alcohol?"

"Yes."

"Since when do you refuse alcohol?"

"Since right now."

Lando squinted at her. "You're scaring me."

Carlos gawked. "Are you sick? Are you dying? Blink twice if you're dying."

Andi scoffed. "No! Jesus. If I drink, I'll throw up."

Carlos winced. "That bad, huh?"

"Uh-huh," she said, sarcastic smile blaring. Then she added with a pointed glance toward the bar, "And apparently I'm also the designated driver now, because someone has been over there for thirty-plus minutes."

Both Carlos and Lando followed her gaze toward the bar, where Oscar was indeed still planted, leaning with one elbow, chatting to the bartender like they were old friends. A second drink already sat in front of him, untouched only because he was too busy explaining something with enthusiastic hand gestures.