bed chem | drew starkey

CHAPTER 19

MID DECEMBER 2023

Aurora sat in her usual spot on set, her chair slightly angled so she could keep an eye on everything around her. The morning sun was warm, but it did little to thaw the chill she felt whenever Drew was nearby. Today, she had decided not to confront him immediately with the video. She wanted to see if he'd come to her first, if he even wanted to hear her side of the story.

When Drew finally arrived, Aurora's breath hitched, her gaze flickering toward him. But he didn't even glance her way. Instead, he was accompanied by Kyle, his stunt double. Aurora frowned, confusion clouding her mind.

Jonas seemed just as perplexed. "Drew, why is Kyle here?" he asked.

Aurora strained to listen as Drew muttered something in response. Jonas shook his head, his expression somewhere between disbelief and frustration. "You're ridiculous," he said, loud enough for Aurora to catch.

Her chest tightened as realization dawned on her. Drew... didn't want to put his arm around her. That was the only logical explanation.

Her heart pounding, Aurora stood and approached Jonas. "What's going on?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Jonas hesitated, clearly uncomfortable, before finally saying, "Drew said he's not exactly comfortable putting his arm around you."

Aurora's mouth fell open, the words hitting her like a punch to the gut. "Are you serious?"

Jonas nodded. "Yeah, exactly my reaction. I told him it's ridiculous, but... well, there's only so much I can do." He gave her a sympathetic look before walking off to manage the scene.

Aurora stood there, frozen. The humiliation, the hurt—it was all too much. Drew Starkey, the person she'd called her best friend, didn't even want to touch her. He believed some half-ass story Odessa must have fed him, and instead of coming to her, he shut her out completely.

Filming was a blur. Aurora felt like she was sleepwalking through her scenes, the ache in her chest growing with every passing minute. The second Jonas dismissed them for the day, she rushed back to her trailer.

She collapsed onto her favorite spot on the couch, the tears she'd been holding back finally spilling over. She buried her face in her hands and cried, her shoulders shaking as the pain poured out.

She didn't want to cry over Drew, but she couldn't help it. Of course she knew why she was crying. Drew Starkey. Her best friend, the person she trusted most on set, had believed Odessa over her without even giving her a chance to explain.

Aurora grabbed her phone, her vision still blurred with tears, and texted Jonas:

Aurora: I'm going home for a couple of days.

Jonas replied almost immediately.
Jonas: I understand. Take care of yourself.

She quickly booked a flight to New York, where Mia was staying. Her safe space. Aurora needed her best friend now more than ever.

As she packed, the anger started to bubble beneath the hurt. If Drew didn't want to hear her side of the story, fine. She'd focus on herself, on the people who actually cared.

But deep down, the thought of losing Drew as a friend left her feeling hollow.

────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────

Aurora stood outside their filming accommodation, arms crossed against the chilly air as she waited for the cab. Her suitcase sat beside her, a physical reminder of how abruptly she'd decided to leave. The soft hum of crickets filled the air, but her mind was far too noisy to appreciate the calm around her.