As a famous book blogger, you understand that the love within the pages isn’t always going to be perfectly translated into real life. And you’ve made peace with that, for the most part. Until a famous race car driver gives you a shoutout at one of his races, and you embark on a love story that might just be better than all the stories you’ve read.
pairing. oscar piastri x fem! reader
warnings. romance, friendship, strangers to lovers. celebrity x bookworm, fluff, love at first sight.
face claim. maria isabel
yourusername so long london (had a good run) 🇬🇧
likes 435.8k, comments 2.9k
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user1 taylor swift reference... my girl will never beat the swiftie allegations
user2 we will miss u 😓
user3 omgomgomg
user4 hobbymaxxing!!
user5 absolutely beautiful 🥰🥰
user6 if ur career as a book influencer fails u could always be a travel blogger
user7 and i would watch every 1 of those vids...
user8 at least u got souvenirs to remember! 💞
user9 come back soonnnn!
user10 luv u to the moon and back
f1 Silly radio from oscarpiastri today during FP1... Seems like the Aussie has other things on his mind!
tagged oscarpiastri, mclaren
likes 1.7m, comments 4.9k
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user11 i am soooo confused... did april fools day come early or something? 😭
user12 my nonchalant king is not being very nonchalant anymore
user13 what is going on...🙂
user14 not his team telling him off–
user15 this is a good question to ask though.
f1gossip Oscar mentioned that his sister, Hattie Piastri, loves listening to yourusername’s videos about books today.
user17 we’ve known about how much hattie loves to read?
user18 why is he smiling tho.
user19 well that’s what humans do when they’re happy, lmao
user20 hmmm
yourbffusername 🤩✨
oscarpiastri On to the next race 🏁
tagged mclaren, f1
likes 1.2m, comments 2.2k
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user21 something is not like the rest
user22 bro really thought he could sneak some random girl in and get away with it 🤣
user23 i don’t condone parasocial relationships but one of oscar’s crazy fans needs to figure out who she is 🙃
user24 y’all i fear it is obvious
user25 ok then who tf is it, if ur so smart?
user26 soft launch..........
user27 oscar is finally getting a wag. about time 🫰
user28 or, she could be a family friend. you are all overreacting
user29 i think we are lwk underreacting.
user30 this is not a drill guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭
Close Friends yourusername added to their Story
yourbffusername when are u hanging out with him again?!?!
Note: Stutters and pauses are edited out for conciseness.
[TRANSCRIPT OF Y/N L/N’S MOST RECENTLY UPLOADED VIDEO ON TIKTOK]
Y/N L/N: Hello everybody! I’m back with another update on my reading journey for book 2 of the Dirty Air series. So, if you haven’t seen any of my other videos, I read book 1 back in May and I really liked it.
Y/N L/N: It got me into Formula 1 – a crazy sport, by the way, I don’t know how they do it. Anyways, I really enjoyed this next section because the romance is building up.
Y/N L/N: If you couldn’t tell already, I am a huge slow burn fan. But! I also am very impatient. That’s why I always try to find a happy medium between soul-aching slow burn and love at first sight. Which this book is doing a great job with.
(Muffled sound in the background)
Y/N L/N: Oops, I think – Are you OK? (soft laughter)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE VOICE: Yep, all good.
Y/N L/N: I’ll cut that out later. Probably, if I don’t forget.
Y/N [09:31] hiiii osc, just woke up 🥱
Y/N [09:32] idc how cringe this sounds but goddamn ur so fucking hot when ur on that podium
Y/N [09:34] god #needthat
OSCAR [11:35] Hi darling, sorry for not responding, I’ve had a pretty busy day. It’s 8pm over here. Miss you loads ❤️
Y/N [11:40] sooooo proud of u
Y/N [11:41] i’m so close to buying tickets to the next race, i miss u so much 😪
f1 Oscar dedicated his win at Spa to somebody very special 😉🎉
tagged oscarpiastri, yourusername
likes 3.8m, comments 9.0k
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user31 NOOOO WAYYYYYY 🫨🫨🫨
user32 HARD LAUNCH
user33 oh he must be down bad for her if he’s doing something like this
user34 y/n ur the luckiest person in the universe 😵💫😮💨
user35 screaminggg
yourusername i’m just as shocked as you all are!
yourusername happy 6 months xx
tagged oscarpiastri, yourusername
likes 559.0k, comments 7.4k
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user41 congratulations 🥳
user42 no one deserves this more than u
user43 🫶
user44 aweee i might actually start crying
user45 proof that true love is real
oscarpiastri Love you so much, Y/N. Here’s to many more ❤️
hii, who do you all write for? only for Oscar, or also for anyone else? ❤️
hey! i write for mostly oscar (as he’s my fave driver) but i am open to writing for max, kimi, george, lando, daniel, and logan as well 😄 hope this helps
You’re the host of the popular vlog series “Carpool Confessions”, where you drive around with celebrities and declare your secrets — all in a very comedic, light-hearted manner, of course. When Oscar Piastri, Formula 1 driver for McLaren, is signed up to be your newest attendee, you treat him as though he’s any other person… Until you fall in love with him.
pairing oscar piastri x influencer! fem! reader
warnings fluff, humor, romcom vibes. reader hosts a popular vlog series. references to other sports, reader is a bit of a ragebaiter. love at first sight. use of swear words, jokes about murder.
face claim. bella james
onrecordathletique proud to announce that oscarpiastri is my newest confidant on carpool confessions, thank u to mclaren and his pr team for forcing him to go thru with this 🥹
tagged oscarpiastri, f1, mclaren
likes 4.5m, comments 8.9k
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user1 YES YES YES YES!!!
user2 i am HYPED for this 🙂↕️
user3 after the connor bedard episode i thought this vlog series couldn’t get any better, but i guess i was wrong 🎉
user4 oscar’s dry humor and y/n’s silliness is going to be amazing
user5 i can’t wait to sit down and watch the entirety of this vlog.
user6 y/n does it again!!
user7 y/noscar confirmed when? 😌
user8 the charles icon dangling from the car is killing meeee
user9 that’s his father wdym
user10 the whole time y/n was trying to ragebait oscar and it failed. lmaoaoao
Note: Stutters and pauses are edited out for conciseness.
[VIDEO RECORDING BEGINS]
Y/N L/N: So, Oscar, have you ever wished that you were athletic?
OSCAR PIASTRI (hesitantly): …I would already consider myself athletic considering I’m a Formula 1 driver. That takes a lot of effort.
Y/N L/N: Well, yeah, no really – but I meant, like, real sports. Basketball, football, rugby, soccer. Stuff that actually involves physical contact and exertion. From past interviews, I heard hockey is difficult. Maybe you should take that up, get in shape.
OSCAR PIASTRI: Racing might not be a contact sport in the traditional sense, but most would place F1 in that category, of being difficult. There’s a reason why it’s called the pinnacle of motorsports. I don’t think I’m understanding your question right.
Y/N L/N: I’ll repeat myself again. Do you wish you were athletic?
OSCAR PIASTRI: Fine, yes, I wish I was athletic. More than I already am.
Y/N L/N: That’s true. You are fit, fitter than most guys I know. Maybe less so than Charles Leclerc, but we can’t all be Charles. He’s a perfect specimen. If only he were single.
OSCAR PIASTRI: (laughs)
Y/N L/N: OK, we’re in the car. Can you start it, I’m sweating bullets. I might faint, shit, it’s hot.
OSCAR PIASTRI: It’s Miami in May, what did you expect?
Y/N L/N: You don’t have to be sassy.
OSCAR PIASTRI: Now that you’re not going to faint, what do you want to talk about?
Y/N L/N: The whole point of this is to confess your inner, deepest, darkest secrets. Why don’t you start off?
OSCAR PIASTRI: I love TimTams. Sometimes I’ll eat the whole sleeve before I realize what I’ve done.
Y/N L/N: That’s not a secret, Oscar. Everyone knows you’re addicted to TimTams. Can you, please, for the love of God, stop stating the obvious? Tell me something juicy, like you’ve killed someone before.
OSCAR PIASTRI: As far as I know, I haven’t. Sorry. (cough) Wait a moment – have you?
Y/N L/N: Maybe, maybe not. But for all legal intents and purposes, I have not. Yet.
f1 Oscar Piastri is all smiles after being asked about his interview with Y/N L/N, host of the viral vlog series, Carpool Confessions. “It was definitely the highlight of my day. She’s really good at making you feel comfortable, making you laugh. I’m surprised I was so against it, in the beginning.”
tagged onrecordathletique, mclaren, oscarpiastri
likes 3.2m, comments 6.9k
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user11 something is UP…
user12 oscar hates interviews. but look how blushy he is 🙂
user13 he sounded like he really enjoyed it. maybe he’ll come back for a pt.2? 😁
user14 y/noscar crumbs
user15 sometimes pr torture is good.
user16 now make lando do it! 😋
user17 let’s stick to racing, yea? 🤣🤣
yourusername found myself in miami
likes 4.2m, comments 1.9k
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user18 omg how was it?! did u get the princess treatment that u deserve??
user19 aesthetic queen ☺️
user20 ur glowinggg
user21 miami gp was crazy, glad u were there to witness it 😉
user22 she’s back w mclaren... new vlog coming soon?
user23 the signed hats...... that must mean she saw oscar again, right guys? 🤨🤨
ontherecordathletique so nice we had to do it twice. next episode of carpool confessions out soon... ⏰🏎️🤫
comments are closed
Close Friends yourusername added to their Story
oscarpiastri We should do this again soon. Now that it’s summer break, I have time off from work.
oscarpiastri Onto the last races. Photo credits go to yourusername.
tagged yourusername, onrecordathletique, mclaren, f1
likes 7.2m, comments 4.9k
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user24 soft launch central ‼️
user25 ummm did u not see the last slide. he is flaunting his girl
user26 screaming crying throwing up ☠️☠️
user27 oscar do u want to share anything w us
user28 cool photos... but i think u need to explain something 🫵
user29 freaking tf out
user30 i suspected. y/noscar for the win!!
Y/N [14:32] running late. give me 5 min 😭
OSCAR [14:35] No problem, our reservation isn’t until 15:00.
Y/N [14:37] i was watching a hockey game and got distracted. shit i’m really sorry
OSCAR [14:40] You don’t have to apologize. It’s fine, we all get swept up sometimes. I love you. ❤️
Y/N [14:41] love u too. ab to walk over if this stupid elevator wants to move faster 🙄
OSCAR [14:42] I see you. Don’t run, I don’t want you to fall.
OSCAR [14:42] God, you look beautiful. I think I’m the luckiest man in the world.
You’re a famous travel blogger on a vacation to Europe with your best friend. It seems like any other trip of yours, until you see a cute guy at the bar. Could this random stranger be the love of your life? Or is it just the magic of the high seas?
pairing. oscar piastri x travel blogger! fem! reader
warnings. non-f1 au, fluff, romance, cruise ship au, love at first sight.
face claim. lana condor
yourbffusername girl stop taking pics of urself in the mirror and come wait with me in line 🫠😐
yourusername seas the day 🌊
tagged yourbffusername
likes 1.5m, comments 780
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user1 my fave travel blogger is back!!!
user2 SOOOO LUCKYYY 😓
user3 nono i’m not jealous idk wym 🫤
user4 take pics and vids for us plsss
user5 manifesting this for my life 🙏🤞
oscarpiastri Taking time off 🚢
likes 1.8m, comments 1.3k
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user6 oscar is on a cruise?!
user7 this looks familiar... 🤨
user8 have fun oscar!
user9 sooo cute 😍
user10 yea i bet u need a break after that shitshow of a season haha
user11 where’s lando?!
user12 ik! i wanna know if this is a boy’s trip or what 🙂
YOUR BFF [17:15] girl he will not stop looking at u. i’m telling u.
Y/N [17:17] ur sitting right next to me why r u texting me right now. also i’m NOT going to talk to some rando i just saw for the first time ten seconds ago 😃
YOUR BFF [17:18] i saw ur insta post. why make that poll if ur not secretly willing to take a risk??
Y/N [17:20] fineeee i’ll do it! but if it goes wrong i’m blaming u 🙂↕️
yourusername pov: ur in europe
tagged yourbffusername
likes 1.2m, comments 998
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user13 UMMM HELLO?
user14 no fr, can we discuss the elephant in the room 😜
user15 beautiful pics but WHO IS THE MALE SHAPED SHADOW.
user16 is this the cute guy from the poll 😆
user17 i’m so invested this isn’t even funny
user18 leave it to y/n to find true love while traveling…
OSCAR [20:29] You still up?
Y/N [20:32] yea why
OSCAR [20:33] Meet me on deck 17.
Y/N [20:34] oh god this better not be a surprise round of trivia. i alr embarrassed myself earlier 🥲
OSCAR [20:37] No, not trivia. I promise 🥴
Y/N [20:39] what is it then? u sound so ominous
OSCAR [20:42] I just want to get to know you better. Our past talks haven’t been long
Y/N [20:45] u can thank my bff for that. sorry 😭😭
OSCAR [20:45] All good. Make it up to me by showing up, yeah?
Y/N [20:46] okay, i’ll be there in 5 👍
Close Friends oscarpiastri has posted an Instagram story
yourusername i’ll miss u 4ever italy
tagged yourbffusername
likes 1.4m, comments 852
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user19 aweee 😪
user20 i hope u had a great time, sorry that it’s over now
user21 ik i hate it when vacays have to end 😕
user22 dw ur next trip will be soon... it’s lit ur job
user23 what happened with cute bar guy?! i need to know?! 🥹
user24 i think ur missing something...
two months later
yourbffusername ahhh yes! aren’t u grateful i told u to flirt with him? 😌
You’re exhausted with the dating scene and ready to give up on finding “the one” when your best friend decides to set you up with a mystery man. Oscar is everything you could ever want – sweet, caring, and attentive…almost too perfect to be real. But there’s a big secret he hasn’t quite told you yet: he’s a Formula 1 driver.
pairing. oscar piastri x fem! reader
warnings. fluff, romance, blind date, love at first sight. mystery identity. secret celebrity, best friend is a matchmaker, opposites attract.
face claim. kyra fields
yourbffusername girlll dw, i have someone to introduce u to that will change ur perspective...
yourusername my friend set me up on a blind date... should i be scared 😬
likes 126.7k, comments 256
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user1 omg good luck!!!
user2 damn i’m jealous of the guy, whoever he is...
user3 UPDATE US ASAP 🙏
user4 cute pics!
user5 oh ur bestie has good taste, i trust her
user6 blind dates are the best kind of meetcute imo 😼
Close Friends yourusername has posted an Instagram story
yourbffusername so excited for u!! 🤭🤭
yourusername sent a Snap to yourbffusername
yourbffusername I TOLD U HE WAS AMAZING!
yourbffusername u should listen to me more often icl 🙂↕️
Close Friends oscarpiastri has posted an Instagram story
Y/N [20:19] ok so it’s going pretty well right now i would say. he’s in the bathroom
YOUR BFF [20:20] do u think he’s cute? nice? smart? does he check all ur boxes like i said he would? 😏
Y/N [20:21] yes he does, but he won’t tell me what he does for a living. i’m scared he runs a drug empire or is in the mafia 😭😭
YOUR BFF [20:22] well babe i’m sure it’s not that terrible. give him time to adjust and tell u more ab himself
Y/N [20:23] ok if u say so, i gtg he’s back now
yourusername it was a resounding success (for now)
likes 118k, comments 129
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user7 YESSS!!!
user8 aweee congrats! 🥳🥳
user9 soft launch
user10 the eyes don’t lie, ur in love y/n 🙃
user11 i’m so glad
user12 ur bestie is the world’s best matchmaker 🫡
yourbffusername thank u for acknowledging my worth ❤️
OSCAR [8:46] Had a great time with you last night. I’m looking forwards to our next date, if that’s something you’d be interested in.
Y/N [9:12] hi oscar! i agree. i’m pretty busy next week but maybe we can figure something out, i’m definitely up to that
OSCAR [9:25] No worries, just shoot me a text when your schedule clears up.
Y/N [9:27] of course! 😁
oscarpiastri Blind date went well 🙂
tagged yourusername
likes 2.7m, comments 1.2k
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user13 oscar is out here living the romcom life 😂
user14 SHE IS SO PRETTY OMG
user15 nooooo freaking way!! 🫣
user16 oscar has rizz
user17 lando how do u feel now that ur teammate has a gf before u... 😲
A stuffed Jellycat bear named Jam has made a few cameos on both your and Oscar Piastri’s social media pages, a cute behind-the-scenes glimpse into the daily life of motorsport’s favorite couple.
pairing. oscar piastri x fem! reader
warnings. romance, friendship, best friends to lovers. a toy bear becomes the child of y/n and oscar. overall, just a fluffy smau.
face claim. isabela merced
yourusername u could say i’m doing well
likes 160k, comments 378
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user1 ur the queen of aesthetic photo dumps
user2 yay y/n has posteddd
user3 awe the jellycat is so cutee what’s its name
yourusername i named him jam!! long story 😭🥹
oscarpiastri Nice 👍
user4 omg u went to sabrina too???? i’m so jealous
user5 stunning 😘
Close Friends oscarpiastri has posted an Instagram story
likes 1.2k, comments closed
yourusername has replied to this story
his name is jam and u better treat him well or istg i’ll be livid
yourusername perfect example of stockholm syndrome
likes 190k, comments 763
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user6 y/n l/n the true papaya princess 🧡👑
user7 jam appearanceee!!
user8 hahah oscar cameo 😛
user9 omg how was ittt??
user10 the concept of being best friends w oscar piastri... 🙏
oscarpiastri You begged me to invite you to the paddock.
yourusername irrelevant 💀
user11 super cute pics y/n!
yourusername the life of a showgirl genuinely altered my bloodstream ❤️🔥🫰
likes 135.2k, comments 249
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oscarpiastri Wi$h Li$t is stuck in my head now.
user12 omg y/n is a swiftie how am i just finding this out 🫣
user13 i think we see jam more than y/n herself on this page lol
user14 only y/n could make a grocery cart seem cool 😌
user15 awee y/noscar 😙💗
OSCAR [20:52] Is Jam staying with me this week
Y/N [21:01] do u even love jam ☹️
OSCAR [21:03] What does that have to do with anything?
Y/N [21:04] he’s our child u have to love him
OSCAR [21:07] Yes, I love Jam. Now can you answer my question please
Y/N [21:10] u can take him but bring him back to me next week. i love u 🥰
OSCAR [21:11] I love you more.
oscarpiastri Merry Christmas 🎄
likes 3.7m, comments 1.9k
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user16 happy holidays osc!
user17 MERRY CHRISTMAS!! 🎅🎁
yourusername (from the piastri family, and yes that includes jam)
user18 y/n since when were u a piastri. did i miss a few chapters 😟
user19 the christmas tree is priceless
user20 💕
user21 fave holiday of the year for a reason 🙌
yourusername confession time: jam is my child and oscar is the father 😼
likes 279.7k, comments 5.9k
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user22 omg! 🫨
user23 first thing i see when i wake up, scared the shit out of me
user24 ik i thought it was a pregnancy announcement too
user25 cutest couple ever
oscarpiastri Someone teach me how to coparent without Y/N getting mad at me please 😬
user26 SOFT LAUNCH?!
user27 ijbol we’ve known osc and y/n are together 🤨
user28 best friends to lovers, my fave trope
user29 y/n l/n the best wag
user30 sweet 😍
oscarpiastri Didn’t realize I’d become a parent at 24 but that’s how life turns out, I guess
likes 2.5m, comments 998
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user31 damnnn i didn’t realize i’d be jealous of a bear...
LOVESONG (4.0k words) You knew it was a terrible idea, but it looked like the logic of your mind had been overridden by the sentiments of your heart. Ten years had passed since you had met Oscar Piastri, and still, it seemed as though you would be forever entangled in the friend zone. So when you discover a matchmaking party, you decide to bring Oscar as your second, hoping he’ll finally notice your desperation. ❤︎ texts / moodboard
BEARY MUCH YOURS A stuffed Jellycat bear named Jam has made a few cameos on both your and Oscar Piastri’s social media pages, a cute behind-the-scenes glimpse into the daily life of motorsport’s favorite couple. ✴︎ ❀
LOVE IS BLIND You’re exhausted with the dating scene and ready to give up on finding “the one” when your best friend decides to set you up with a mystery man. Oscar is everything you could ever want – sweet, caring, and attentive…almost too perfect to be real. But there’s a big secret he hasn’t quite told you yet: he’s a Formula 1 driver. ✴︎ ❀
SHIP HAPPENS You’re a famous travel blogger on a vacation to Europe with your best friend. It seems like any other trip of yours, until you see a cute guy at the bar. Could this random stranger be the love of your life? Or is it just the magic of the high seas? ❀
PICTURE YOU You’re the host of the popular vlog series “Carpool Confessions”, where you drive around with celebrities and declare your secrets — all in a very comedic, light-hearted manner, of course. When Oscar Piastri, Formula 1 driver for McLaren, is signed up to be your newest attendee, you treat him as though he’s any other person… Until you fall in love with him. ✴︎ ❀
READ ALL ABOUT IT As a famous book blogger, you understand that the love within the pages isn’t always going to be perfectly translated into real life. And you’ve made peace with that, for the most part. Until a famous race car driver gives you a shoutout at one of his races, and you embark on a love story that might just be better than all the stories you’ve read. ❀
“I thought it was obvious how I felt for you, that I can’t imagine a life without you. Why would you ever think that I could?” . . . LOVESONG (feat. oscar piastri) coming soon !
“I swear you’re in my head throughout the day.” You knew it was a terrible idea, but it looked like the logic of your mind had been overridden by the sentiments of your heart. Ten years had passed since you had met Oscar Piastri, and still, it seemed as though you would be forever entangled in the friend zone. So when you discover a matchmaking party, you decide to bring Oscar as your second, hoping he’ll finally notice your desperation.
pairing. childhood best friend! oscar piastri x fem! reader
warnings. non-f1 au. romance, friendship, idiots in love, 4.0k words. childhood best friends to lovers, mutual pining. jealousy, drama, a decade of miscommunication. use of swear words.
note. title from beabadoobee’s lovesong. playlist here.
“No, mate, I really wish you’d seen his face. Eyes bugging out and all. It was a right laugh, I swear to you.” Lando Norris, your best friend, slapped his knee in an overly dramatic gesture of mirth. He was prone to theatrics, of course, but it always startled you how startlingly different he was than his male counterpart. That other friend in question was staring at him with an expression that could only be described as utterly bewildered. “I can’t believe you aren’t laughing your arses off right now. God, you must be robots or some other inhuman shit. Everyone else was howling when I told them.”
“I’m grateful that you never pursued a career in comedy. Imagine the poor souls at your shows… They wouldn’t know what hit them,” Oscar said dryly. The corner of his lip twitched in amusement at the thought.
Lando frowned, turning his head towards you with a pleading expression, hazel eyes glossy with unshed tears. In Lando’s mind, the worst possible offense was finding his half-baked jokes unfunny. You prayed internally that you wouldn’t be called to the stand and forced to testify. “Oh come on, it wasn’t that bad. Was it, Y/N?”
“I…” You trailed off, lifting your hands in surrender, unwilling to lie through your teeth. “Lan, it’s no big deal if one joke didn’t make us laugh.”
“Yes it is,” Lando shot back as blotchy patches of red began to crawl up the side of his neck: another warning sign of an upcoming breakdown. “I’m funny as hell — that’s what everyone says — but according to you, I have the humor of a rock.”
Oscar clapped Lando on the shoulder, trying to soothe him. “Don’t worry, mate. Not everyone can be talented.”
“Oh, fuck you, Oscar.” Lando narrowed his eyes. “You’re just too busy daydreaming about that new girl of yours to pay attention to me, your best friend for years and years.”
What?
Oscar’s eyes widened, and your gaze flashed over to him in shock. “What new girl?” You said, barely choking the words out. “Oscar, have you been hiding a whole entire girlfriend from me?”
“No,” he stuttered out. “No, there’s no girlfriend. Just, um, someone I have my eye on. Lando’s making a big deal out of nothing. If it was serious, I’d tell you. You know I would.”
You forced yourself to smile, because you were the master at playing the façade of being a good friend, even though it felt like your insides were burning in a pit of hellish fire. Oscar was painfully shy even with people he was friendly with. Maybe it would be a good thing if he was on the dating scene; it would coax him out of his shell.
But you hated the thought of him cozying up to someone else, another woman who had ulterior motives of marriage and children, who would eventually try to tear him away from you and Lando. You’d been writing those fears off as jealousy and overprotectiveness for years, despite knowing the true root of the issue. It was getting increasingly harder to deny the fact that you had a crush on him, and as time passed, you were struggling to keep it a secret.
“I was surprised too,” Lando said, nudging you. He obviously took your shock as something else, and you were grateful for the alternate interpretation.
“There’s no one,” Oscar retorted defensively. “At all. You two are insufferable.”
Lando huffed. “You’re gaslighting me right now, and I won’t stand for it.”
“No, you’re just making a mountain out of a molehill,” Oscar responded.
“But if there was someone, you’d tell us, right?” You said, hating how petulant and childish you sounded. So what if Oscar wanted privacy and discretion with his love life? It wasn’t like he owed you anything, no matter how many years you’d shared. And God knew, if you ever did get a boyfriend, you didn’t want Lando and Oscar sticking their noses into your business. They’d scare that boy off in a tick. “I mean, you don’t have to.” You added quickly, shifting uncomfortably under the heat of Oscar’s gaze. It was so obvious how fucked over you were if Oscar did decide to get a partner. You wouldn’t be able to bear it, the easy smiles, the faux kindness, the questions, the advice.
“If there was, I would,” Oscar reassured you.
Lando grinned. “That girl would break a twenty-year oath of celibacy. Astounding, really, how you’ve held on to that for so long. Your moral compass is like no other.”
“Don’t insult him,” you scolded Lando, rising to his defense even though you knew you shouldn’t.
“I wasn’t,” Lando said harshly. “But, I’m sorry if I was.”
“Doesn’t matter to me, Lan,” Oscar said, forgiving as always, as he took a sip from his glass of wine.
Later, when Lando had gone to take a leak in the bathroom, Oscar coughed like he was trying to unstick words that were clogged in his throat. You looked up from the crossword you were solving – six letter word for love, from the title of a play by Williams – and waited for Oscar to bite out what he wanted to say.
“I’m sorry about what Lando said earlier,” he finally muttered. “I don’t… I’ve never really…”
You shook your head, cutting him off before he could embarrass himself further. “Stop. You don’t need to apologize to me in the slightest. You know Lando likes instigating drama. It was just another one of those times, and you don’t have to explain yourself at all.”
“He saw me signing up for a dating app,” Oscar blurted. His ears blazed crimson, and you thought he might burst with self-consciousness. “Something that – that a guy at work mentioned. I thought I might register. See if it opens any doors.”
Oh, Oscar. Can’t you see that the person you’re looking for has been here the whole time? You yearned to confess. “Hmm, that’s nice. Heard that’s pretty common for people our age nowadays,” you said calmly, fiddling with the papery-soft edge of the crossword. Suddenly, you were grateful for the acting lessons you took back in secondary school. You prayed your features were schooled into perfect nonchalance that would disguise the raging tempest in your stomach. Oscar couldn’t know. Not now, not ever. It would ruin everything.
“I haven’t swiped right on anybody yet, but I’m hoping I might soon,” Oscar said. “Lando wants me to connect with everyone, just so I’ll have a higher chance of success, but I think that’s superficial. I mean, you get it.”
“Yeah, right. Of course,” you fibbed.
“Sorry, I’m distracting you from your puzzle,” Oscar said, jerking his head to the side and cutting off the awkward word-vomit ramble. Thank God.
You tilted your head down, focusing back on the black-and-white tiles. How ironic. The answer was Desire. Those empty spots, with etched-in and erased pencil marks, were less of a mystery than what lay between you and your best friend.
TEN YEARS EARLIER
The house at the end of your lane had stood empty for as long as you could remember. But your mother had surprised you with the news that a family from Melbourne would be moving in at the end of the month. You immediately pressed her for further details, yet all she would tell you was that there would be children for you to be friends with. That was satisfying enough; your neighborhood was devoid of people in your generation, other than the college students that rented a flat two blocks down.
You eagerly awaited their arrival, counting the days with anticipation you’d only ever experienced when it was time for a family vacation or your birthday. When it finally came, you assumed a spot by the front window, watching as a moving truck parked in the driveway and a family of six spilled out.
Your mother called out to you as you rocketed through the door, but the words were lost to the wind. All you could hear was the thudding of your heart in your ears and your excited giggles that could barely be contained.
“Hi,” you said cheerily once you skidded to a stop by their porch. “I’m Y/N, I live just across the street. It’s nice to meet you.”
The three girls blinked at you owlishly. They all looked around the same age, but they were much younger than you. That couldn’t be who your mother was talking about, so who was the other – ?
Oh.
A boy with mussed brown hair and lanky limbs stared at you from the foyer, head cocked to the side like a curious puppy. “Hi,” you said again, bouncing over to where he stood. “I’m –”
“I heard. I’m Oscar.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” you responded. “I can show you my spot by the lake later, if you want. We can get ice lollies from the store, and you can tell me all about Australia. I’ve never been; I’ve lived in London my whole life.”
“You talk so fast,” Oscar noted softly.
“Sorry. I know this must be so different, and you must be knackered. I’ll come back tomorrow, when you’re all settled in.” You flashed him a bright smile, remembering your manners that your mother taught you. “Goodbye, Oscar.”
“Goodbye…” Oscar stammered. “I’ll see you later, I guess?”
PRESENT-DAY
There was a special circle of Hell reserved for people like your boss. You resisted the urge to smack your head until it bled out on the desk, wishing you could be anywhere other than your blindingly white cubicle at work. It wasn’t like you hated your job — no, it was the complete opposite. You actually enjoyed creating social media campaigns, knowing that your public relations degree had been useful for something.
But it was the monotony that killed you, the constant loop of genesis and inevitable destruction as you attempted to revise the advertisements you’d painstakingly formatted. You understood that the marketing industry was cutthroat, that one mistake could plummet sales and cause a well-established company to crumble. Yet it wouldn’t prevent you from bemoaning the predicament you found yourself in.
You waded through the pits of Google, scrolling past articles that were clickbait at their best and a defamation lawsuit at their worst. The bolded blue headlines began to blur, and you suppressed a yawn that had been building up in your throat. When was the last time you had a full night’s rest, unimpeded by the long drudgery of your job? You hummed softly, a feeble attempt to distract yourself as you typed in a new set of phrases.
More baseless celebrity drama, a new sports drink, and… a public invitation to a matchmaking ceremony in a bar downtown.
Interesting.
The memory of your last conversation with Oscar echoed in your mind. You pressed on the link, which sent you to a website with a dazzling pink-and-white layout. You grinned at the image of a wedding cake, topped with a little moving graphic of a groom and a bride. Whoever had made it definitely knew how to keep things in theme without going overboard and being tasteless or tacky. So this must be a professional event, an official declaration for all to see.
You moved down, absorbing the information. The matchmaking would take place in the Society Lounge, some hangout that you’d never ventured to. The risk was evident – it would be embarrassing getting caught at such an event, especially if Lando found out – but so was the reward. You’d wanted a boyfriend for ages, though you’d never done much to get one: the dating landscape was terrifying, especially for your age group. Everyone made grand pronouncements about who they were, which were all an illusion like the Wizard of Oz’s golden mask.
Maybe this was your chance. The only thing you had to do was reach out and seize the opportunity. You forwarded the link to your personal email, so you could research it further on your downtime.
Once you were back home, huddled up under your thick web of blankets, you pulled up the email with the link to the matchmaking event. It was still open for signups, and without another second of hesitation, you filled out the necessary details for yourself…and Oscar, who would be accompanying you.
It seemed so easy, but you knew you weren’t in the clear just yet. How would you broach the topic with Oscar, who was infamously skittish when it came to anything related to love lives? The fact that he’d enrolled in a dating app did increase your chances of success, but you knew he would ask a thousand questions. The only thing you could do for now was cross your fingers and hope your plan worked.
Your phone buzzed with an incoming notification – a text from none other than Oscar Piastri himself.
OSCAR [19:46] Saw this bird earlier today. Thought of you.
An image was attached to the message, and you double-tapped it to enlarge the picture. A cute black-and-gray starling was mid-hop in a plaza square, nibbling at seeds on the ground. You snorted.
Y/N [19:47] how does that remind you of me. be honest
You watched as three dots appeared on the screen, signifying that Oscar was coming up with a response to your question.
OSCAR [19:47] It wouldn’t stop bothering people for their food. Does that answer your question?
You scoffed. Wow.
Y/N [19:48] god forbid a girl likes eating 💔
OSCAR [19:48] Talking about food, I just ordered takeout from the Chinese restaurant downtown. Want to come over?
Your heart caught in your chest, tangling up in the fragile threads of hope. If he was alone, without Lando hanging around, it would be the perfect chance to inform him about the matchmaking ceremony. You bolted up from your fetal position, quickly typing a “yes”, and half-jogged to your closet.
You grabbed a baggy hoodie and flared leggings, the two closest items to you. A rapid fire check in the mirror showed that your hair wasn’t too messed up from the ponytail you’d tucked it in earlier, and you grabbed a few things off of your counter before heading out the door.
Oscar was already waiting for you, a bag of your favorite chips securely grasped in his fingers like a covered prize. “Look what I got,” he said, grinning from ear-to-ear.
“Sustenance,” you nearly groaned, hands immediately extending to grab it. “Thank you, Osc. You’re the best.”
“Nuh uh, not yet, Y/N,” Oscar shook his head, retracting the chips before you could take them. “You’ve got to tell me why you canceled next week’s movie night first.”
You blinked. “O – Oh,” you stuttered. So the cat was out of the bag then, and you scrambled for a coherent answer. “I mean… Well…”
“Come on, Y/N, spit it out. I’ve never seen you this tongue-tied before.”
You cleared your throat, buying a few extra seconds. “I might’ve stumbled on an ad for a matchmaking ceremony? And signed us up for it? Just to see if maybe something… I don’t know.” You flailed your arms awkwardly.
“A matchmaking ceremony? Are we from the sixteen hundreds all of a sudden?” Oscar joked, obviously thinking you weren’t being serious.
You stared at him. “No, Oscar – I’m telling the truth. You told me about how you signed up for Tinder, or something else, and I thought it might be good for you. For me. For us.”
“That’s Lando’s sort of thing,” Oscar said, puzzled. “Did you conspire with him?”
“No, no, no,” you said instantly. “I saw it and planned it all out on my own. Lando has no idea. I want to keep it this way.”
“I don’t get it. You seemed like you hated the idea of me dating someone. But now you’re actively trying to set me up?” Oscar questioned, tilting his head to the side.
“It’s not just you who would have a date. I’d be getting one too,” you pointed out. “And I don’t care, really, who you decide to see.”
For a moment, you thought you saw a flicker of something in Oscar’s eyes, but it was gone too quickly for you to fully recognize what it was. “Alright then,” Oscar mused. “Might as well do it; we have nothing to lose. Who knows – I might meet the love of my life.”
You chuckled softly. “Yeah, maybe.” Or maybe she’s right in front of you.
The Society Lounge was a cozy nook in the middle of downtown London, with a sleek modern design. You wrapped your fingers around Oscar’s forearm to avoid losing him in the crowded restaurant. “Let’s sit here,” you murmured to him, nodding your head towards a comfortable side booth.
“Sure.”
You took your spot, craning your neck to see the mahogany podium stationed at the front of the room. A woman, with silky black hair and flawless makeup, was already standing there, shuffling a thick stack of papers.
“I think it’s starting,” you said, just as the lights dimmed and the woman readjusted the microphone on the stand, a signal that she was about to begin speaking.
“Hello all. My name is Mai Nguyen,” the woman introduced herself. “If you could all please take out your phones and enter the app Matchstick, which you should have downloaded before arriving at this event.”
You and Oscar dutifully extracted your phones, following Mai’s instructions.
“Enter the code 81433. The information for your profile should also already be complete. Once you’ve done so, it will ask you a set of 5 to 10 questions. Answer it as carefully and accurately as possible. Then, the algorithm will calculate your closest match.” Mai took a pause to ensure everyone was listening. “We’ll have a period of time where all guests can find their match, and engage with them. That’s all for now. Have a great night, and may you find the love of your life.”
The quiz itself was simplistic, primarily asking questions pertaining to your hobbies and interests, amongst other topics.
What’s your love language?
Would you rather spend time at home, or out socializing?
Do you value honesty over kindness?
When the quiz was submitted, you were sent to a loading screen. You glanced across the table. Oscar’s eyebrows were furrowed in concentration, mouth screwed up as he contemplated his choices. He really was taking this seriously.
A few minutes later, Mai stepped back up to the platform. The speaker buzzed as she said, “Alright, looks like everyone is finished. The results should be out in approximately thirty seconds, and we’ll begin the mingling period about two minutes after.”
As she finished speaking, you looked down at your phone again. You wondered whose face would pop up on your screen: a man’s? A woman’s? It didn’t matter to you what the gender was, just as long as you could connect with them.
You drummed your nails on the wooden surface, impatiently waiting for the results. And –
Congratulations! You have been matched with —
[OSCAR PIASTRI, AGE 21. LONDON, UK]
A gasp trembled in the base of your throat. It was too good to hope, to think that you’d see Oscar’s familiar face reflecting back at you, but your fantasy had become real.
Oscar made a soft noise, something similar to the rumble a seal makes. “Looks like you’re the love of my life, then,” he noted wryly.
“Are you disappointed?”
He blinked, visibly startled by the harshness of your tone. “Why would you think that?”
You crossed your arms over your chest. “You look angry. Like…you wish it were someone else.”
“I don’t,” Oscar answered simply. “I was just surprised.”
Mai Nguyen announced something, but it sounded muffled to your ears. “I – I’m sorry. If you want to, I don’t know, swap with someone else, I’m sure they could figure something out,” you faltered.
Oscar’s eyes crinkled in confusion. “According to the matchmaking algorithm, you’re my soulmate. I’m not going to give that up.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable –”
“Please tell me you’re joking. I thought it was obvious how I felt for you, that I can’t imagine a life without you. Why would you ever think that I could?” Oscar stared at you with wide brown eyes. “You’re my best friend. I’ve spent ten years with you, and all of them, I’ve spent pining over someone I thought was unachievable. It was about time that we figured our feelings out.”
You grinned. “Thank god for dating algorithms.”
“And don’t forget the catalyst: Lando’s impatience over the fact that I haven’t had a girlfriend yet.”
TWO MONTHS LATER
The light from the Milan skyline was dazzling as you walked side-by-side with Oscar, raspberry gelato dripping from the gaps in the gauzy napkin. You hummed a soft melody to yourself, a tune you’d heard from one of the musicians who played on the streets. Usually, you had a million thoughts flying around in your mind, but for the first time in ages, you felt at peace.
Oscar interlocked his fingers with yours, rubbing a comforting circle on your skin. “Let me know when you want to head back to the hotel,” he said quietly.
Almost two months had passed since you’d gone to the matchmaking event and been paired up with Oscar. Lando wasn’t surprised to find the true meaning of your cancellation on movie night, but he still acted woundingly betrayed. At least, he reasoned, his two best friends weren’t stumbling around blind anymore. “I hate being a third wheel, but I guess it’s worth it for you two,” Lando had said, slapping Oscar on the back in celebration. “Don’t think it means I want to see you two snogging though. Get a room.”
Oscar tapped your nose to get your attention. “Everything OK, sweetheart?”
“I’m fine,” you said. “Just thinking. About everything, about us.”
“Having second thoughts?”
You furiously shook your head. “How could I? You’re the best boyfriend in the world.”
Oscar laughed, a clear chortle in the crisp air. “I’m glad to hear it.”
You walked further, through the winding streets. A little shop was still open, with various trinkets meant to entice tourists into wasting their precious money. You knew this, but you were lured in anyway. “Can we buy a postcard for Lan?” you asked, looking up at Oscar.
“He won’t read it,” Oscar said.
“He will, for us. Or we can tack it up on the fridge, lively up your flat a bit.”
“Our flat is lively enough already. Lando’s a terrible hoarder.”
“Oh, please, Oscar. Just one postcard, to remember we even had this trip. Please?” you begged, putting your hands together in a supplicant manner. “You want to, you’re just denying it.”
Oscar rolled his eyes. “Fine, but only one.”
“Yay! Thank you!”
You ran inside the shop, admiring the painted covers of the postcards. Oscar was right behind you, and you could feel the weight of his stare as you rifled through the spindly metal racks. “This one is perfect,” you said, holding up a small card with an image of the crystal-blue waters of the Mediterranean. “I love this one.”
“Good.” Oscar pecked a kiss on your cheek, swiping the card from you in the process. “I’ll pay.”
“Osc! Give it back!” You groaned, trying to get it back without any success. “Thank you. Even though I was going to pay for it myself,” you grumbled under your breath.
“Never say I don’t love you,” Oscar joked, kissing you again. “Because I do.”
You smirked. “I’ve successfully brainwashed you.”
“Mmm, or I’m right where I want to be. In Italy, with the love of my life, with nothing but hopes and dreams before me,” Oscar commented.
You tugged at his shirt. “How poetic.”
“Didn’t you say you liked men who were witty and handsome? I’ve got to make sure I fulfill those qualities, don’t I?” he acknowledged.
“That’s true.” You huffed out a breath. “But I’d love you even if you weren’t. Because you’re my soulmate.”
“Ah, how romantic.” Oscar flashed you a cheeky grin.
And at that precise moment, you were positive that you’d never felt more elated in your life.
“I thought it was obvious how I felt for you, that I can’t imagine a life without you. Why would you ever think that I could?” . . . LOVESONG (feat. oscar piastri) coming soon !
