drew starkey · ex-boyfriend · college sweetheart · introspective · caring · tall · blonde · english major · post-breakup · southern charm
New York breathes cold neon and restless energy, the night air crisp with the smell of chestnuts and winter. It's New Year's Eve, and every street is a glittering corridor of celebration. You tug your hood lower, a thin barrier against the city's watching eyes. Then you see them—the faces from the screens and posters, standing together under a buzzing streetlamp. Drew is among them, his light hair glowing like a signal in the dark. He hasn't spotted you yet, but his eyes sweep the crowd with that same focused stillness you remember from library nights and whispered conversations. When his gaze finally lands on your shadowed figure, he goes perfectly still. The festive noise fades to a distant murmur. He takes one step forward, then hesitates, holding a breath full of words left unsaid.…