bed chem | drew starkey

CHAPTER 22

EARLY JANUARY 2024

The clock on the wall read 11:45 PM, and Aurora was curled up in her hotel room, half-watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The cast was probably at the club, partying it up for New Year's Eve, but Aurora couldn't care less. After everything that had happened, she just couldn't bring herself to go. She tried to lose herself in the movie, but her thoughts kept wandering.

Just as she was about to lose herself in the movie again, a knock on her door startled her. She jumped, not expecting anyone. She slowly got up and made her way to the door, wondering who could possibly be here at this hour. When she opened it, her breath caught in her throat.

Drew Starkey stood in front of her, his face a mixture of guilt and determination. "Aurora—"

She didn't let him finish. Before he could say another word, she slammed the door shut, but he was too quick, sticking his foot in the way. He pushed the door back open slightly, just enough for his voice to spill through. "Aurora, we need to talk."

Aurora's heart pounded in her chest. "So now you want to talk, huh? Why not before? Why after everything that's happened?"

His face darkened at her words. "Aurora, please, just listen to me."

Aurora stared at him for a long moment, trying to hold onto the anger that had built up inside her. "Fine. Talk." She stepped aside, allowing him to walk in. He closed the door behind him and locked it, sealing them both inside.

The room was silent for a moment, just the two of them standing there. So much had changed between them, so much unsaid. Drew rubbed the back of his neck, clearly struggling with how to start.

"So, what do you want to talk about, Mr. Starkey?" Aurora's voice was cold, but beneath it, there was an edge of hurt, a tremble she couldn't hide.

Drew let out a sigh, his eyes softening. "Aurora, don't do that."

"Do what? I didn't do anything," she shot back, keeping her composure even though her insides were unraveling.

Drew started to speak, but she cut him off. "What did she tell you, Drew? What did Odessa fucking tell you that made you treat me like absolute shit?"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she glared at him. Drew looked taken aback, clearly caught off guard by the force of her words.

"She—" Drew paused, then finally admitted, "She said you told her to stay away from me. That you were mad at her for getting close to me."

Aurora's face twisted with disbelief. "And you didn't think to come to me and ask if that was true? You didn't come to me to hear my side of the story?"

"I didn't, but—"

"Odessa wasn't holding you hostage, Drew!" Aurora snapped, her voice rising. "We were five feet away, for Christ's sake. You could've asked me! You could've come to me and figured out what the hell was going on."

Drew clenched his fists, anger flooding his chest. "Then fucking tell me what she did! What's the truth, Aurora?"

Aurora didn't say anything but walked over to her phone, grabbed it, and shoved it in his face.

Drew stood frozen as he watched the video on her phone. The air in the room felt suffocating, the weight of her words hanging heavy between them. As the video ended, he stared at her in shock.

"She didn't—" He shook his head in disbelief. "She didn't do that..."

Aurora's voice was low, filled with hurt and betrayal. "You didn't even try to understand. You hurt me, Drew. You fucking hurt me. And it probably hurt more than anything ever has." She paused, trying to breathe through the tightness in her chest. "You made me feel unwanted like I wasn't good enough for you. You made me feel like I wasn't worth hearing. you claimed you felt uncomfortable around me. We've known each other for so long drew. You knew me. And you made me feel like a stranger."