bed chem | drew starkey

CHAPTER 5

LATE SEPTEMBER 2023

Aurora sat on her couch, the cool glow of her phone illuminating her face. She had been staring at Devin Booker's message for what felt like an eternity, her mind racing through a thousand different thoughts. The words on the screen seemed so simple, but the weight of them pressed on her chest.

"Hi, you're very pretty, and I was wondering if I can take you out sometime?"

She bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. Part of her was flattered, her heart fluttering at the idea that someone like Devin—someone who was famous, confident, and so put-together—wanted to take her out. It was a nice opportunity, one she hadn't expected, and that made her feel both excited and nervous. It felt like a step forward, a potential escape from the lingering tension that had been gnawing at her since her breakup with Joe, and especially since she'd realized she felt some way for drew.

But another part of her hesitated. She had just gotten out of a serious relationship, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to jump into something new. Devin was nice, and there was no denying it, but she couldn't ignore the fact that she was feeling some way for Drew. And that made everything so much more complicated.

Her thumb hovered over the keyboard, torn between saying yes and typing something casual. But in the end, she chose to shut her phone off completely. She needed space. Time to think. Time to get her head on straight. She slipped under the covers, her mind heavy with everything that had been happening in her life. She closed her eyes and hoped that maybe, when she woke up, she would have some clarity.

The next morning, Aurora woke up with the same cloud of uncertainty hovering above her. She grabbed her phone automatically, more out of habit than anything else, and scrolled through her notifications. But nothing could take her mind off the message from Devin. It was still there, just sitting in her inbox, waiting for her response.

She felt a pang of guilt. Devin deserved a real answer, not her lingering indecision.

She sighed, scrolling through her messages until she saw Drew's name. The impulse to text him hit her like a wave, and without thinking it through, she typed:

"Hey, Drew. Want to grab coffee today?"

It was a simple enough question. She had done it a hundred times before—sent him a text just to check in, to share a laugh, or to ask about his day. He'd always said yes. No hesitation, no games, just a quick "Sure, what time?" But today felt different. She could feel it in her fingers as they hovered over the keys. She needed this to be different. She needed something to change, some kind of clarity.

She hit send and waited.

It didn't take long for Drew's response to come through.

"Yes. Picking you up in 20."

Aurora stared at the message, her heart racing. A small smile crept onto her face, a mix of relief and nervous anticipation washing over her. Twenty minutes. She could barely process the thought before she rushed to throw on something casual but cute, her mind buzzing with a thousand possibilities of what this coffee outing might mean.

Her chest tightened—not with disappointment, but with a nervous flutter she hadn't felt in a long time. Drew had been there for her so many times, comforting her when things with Joe fell apart, offering his ear when she needed someone to talk to. But today felt different. This wasn't about her needing comfort or him stepping in to pick up the pieces. It was just... them.

She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, smoothing her hair and adjusting her top. It wasn't a date—at least, not officially—but something in her chest whispered that it could be more. Her thoughts drifted to Drew's easy smile, the way he could make her laugh even on her worst days.