bed chem | drew starkey

CHAPTER 8

MID-OCTOBER 2023

Aurora sat in the studio, a steaming cup of coffee beside her, as the beat for her new single, Espresso, thumped through the speakers. She leaned into the mic, adjusted her headphones, and tried to focus as she ran through the lyrics in her head once more.

She'd written the song in the middle of the night, inspired by a late-night coffee run and a guy (she has no idea who this could be about) who just wouldn't stop texting her. The playful lyrics felt like an extension of her own flirtatious, carefree side, and she was ready to give it everything she had.

"Alright, let's try the chorus again, but with a little more energy," the producer called from behind the control board.

Aurora nodded and took a deep breath, the familiar rhythm of the song making her pulse quicken. She tapped her foot to the beat, closed her eyes, and sang into the mic:

"Now he's thinkin' 'bout me every night, oh,
Is it that sweet? I guess so,
Say you can't sleep, baby, I know,
That's that me espresso."

She smiled as she hit the high notes, the words rolling off her tongue with ease. She imagined herself singing this on stage, her fans singing along, the energy in the crowd matching her own.

The producer gave a thumbs-up, clearly impressed. "That's the vibe. Now let's take it from the second verse and add a little more sass."

Aurora cracked her knuckles and readied herself, adjusting the mic stand and giving it a playful tap. "My give-a-fucks are on vacation," she sang, the words coming to her like second nature. She leaned into the lyrics, adding a bit of humor and personality to the line, her lips curling into a grin. It felt good to be in the studio again, to feel this creative energy coursing through her veins.

She kept singing, the track building, layering in harmonies. As she hit the line, "I know I Mountain Dew it for ya," she couldn't help but laugh softly to herself. It was cheesy, but that's what made it fun. She imagined the fans shouting those lines back at her, a whole room of people in on the joke.

The room pulsed with energy as she sang through the rest of the track, the words flowing effortlessly now that she was in the zone. By the time they finished, she was smiling widely, feeling accomplished, the rush of recording a new song filling her with that familiar excitement.

She took off her headphones and glanced at the producer. "How's it sound?"

"Like a hit," he grinned. "You nailed it."

Aurora exhaled, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead. She stood up, stretched, and grabbed her coffee. The lyrics felt alive in her mind, like the echo of something she couldn't wait to share with the world.

She hit send, taking a sip of her coffee. A smirk danced on her lips as she hummed the chorus to herself, imagining the day the song would drop, the world hearing the playful flirtation in her voice and catching the energy of it all.

"Say you can't sleep, baby, I know... That's that me espresso."

────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────

Aurora walked through the front door, the cool night air following her in as she kicked off her heels, letting out a long sigh. It was almost 11 PM, and the weight of the day was still clinging to her. The studio had been a blur—track after track, hours spent on perfecting every little detail, and all of it, somehow, feeling like it was never enough.

She slipped out of her jacket, tossing it onto the armchair near the door, and padded into the living room in her socks. The place was quiet, too quiet. The kind of silence that left space for her thoughts to swirl around her head like a hurricane.

She was barely settled on the couch when there was a knock at the door. It was sudden, unexpected, and her heart skipped for a second. Who could be here this late?

Aurora opened the door, her tired eyes blinking in surprise as she saw Devin standing on the other side, that familiar grin stretched across his face. Before she could even say anything, Devin stepped forward, wrapping her in a warm hug.

"i had a feeling you needed a little company," he murmured, his arms pulling her in close for a moment longer than she expected. Aurora's exhaustion melted away slightly at the unexpected comfort.

"you're right," she said softly, pulling back to look up at him. "this has been the longest day."

Devin's hand brushed her shoulder as they stepped inside together, and he glanced around the quiet apartment. "Well, I'm here now. The night is ours to figure out."

She led him into the living room and they both sank onto the couch. Devin casually threw his arm around her shoulder, pulling her a little closer as she curled up next to him. Aurora sighed, trying to shake off the weight of the day, letting herself enjoy the calm that Devin's presence seemed to bring.

Just as she was about to settle in, her phone buzzed. She grabbed it, glancing at the screen.

"it's mia," she muttered, before getting up to go to her bedroom and answering the call. "hey, what's up?"

Mia came through loud and clear. "hi, i'm bout to come over. you free?"

Aurora smiled, glancing out to the living room where sat Devin, who was busy scrolling through his phone. "oh, so you're finally ready to meet devin?" she teased.

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "oh... he's over?"

Aurora laughed. "yes. right in the other room."

Mia's response came with an exaggerated sigh. "you know, i forgot to walk my cat tonight, so maybe i'll come over some other day."

aurora raised an eyebrow, glancing at devin, who shot her a questioning look. "mia."

"no, seriously. i have no intention of third wheeling tonight, rory. besides, i'll meet him when he officially asks to be your boyfriend. he's just... there for right now."

Aurora rolled her eyes, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "fine. I'll see you when he leaves, then."

mia's voice softened, teasing. "i know you'll miss me. bye rory."

Aurora shook her head, hanging up the call, and walked back into the living room, leaning on the doorframe with a grin. "mia says she has no intention of third wheeling tonight."

Devin raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I'm just here to hang out, no third wheel situation needed."

Aurora shook her head with a playful grin. "mia's not exactly thrilled about sharing me, so she's not rushing into meeting you anytime soon."

Devin raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. "guess I'll have to work on winning her over, then."

aurora smirked. "Good luck with that. she's got high standards when it comes to who gets to hang out with me."

devin laughed, his arm naturally pulling her closer as they both relaxed into the couch. "I think I can handle it."

NOOR SPEAKS
THANK THANK YOU FOR 8K i cant believe im in public and im abt to cry
pls make sure vote and comment

love you guys