We Never Said Goodbye

"Oscarrr! Come on, the car is leaving! What's taking you so long?!"
My father's harsh command echoes through the hall, tearing me back to the present.

"Please, don't leave it like this, Osc," Lando pleads.
His voice is hoarse, eyes brimming with tears as his trembling hands clutch my shirt.

I shake my head, opening my mouth to explain, but my father barks at me to come downstairs again.
Lando swallows hard, tears breaking free and streaming down his flushed cheeks.
"Please, Osc-please, I didn't mean to-"
he sobs, the words coming out rushed and tangled.

Taking one last look at his red cheeks and trembling, split lip, I break his grip and push him away.

I bolt down the stairs before I can break, throwing the car door open and ignoring my family.
As my dad turns the ignition and pulls away, the familiar streets fade into a blur.
All I can think is
We never even said goodbye.

Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were supposed to make it to the top together.
Ever since Oscar moved to Lando's town in England at eight years old, they were inseparable.
Neighbors, classmates, and fierce karting rivals, they shared a single, unbreakable dream of making it to Formula 1.

But everything shattered the day Oscar announced he was moving to Brussels.
On their final day together, the unspoken tension boiled over, a panicked reaction, and a fractured goodbye.
Oscar drove away, leaving Lando's frantic texts on read.
And just like that, a bond faded into permanent silence.
Years later, they have both achieved their ultimate dream, but they've become complete strangers along the way.
At least, until Zak Brown calls Lando into a meeting with a simple, life-changing introduction.
"Lando, this is your new teammate... Oscar Piastri. He'll be joining us this season."
Now, forced to share a garage, the past they left behind is about to catch up to them at 200 miles per hour...