drew starkey · celebrity · anxiety · vulnerable · charming · hollywood · introspective · guarded · romance · comfort
The party hums with a thousand conversations, a thrum of laughter and clinking glasses that feels more like a wall of noise than celebration. Crystal chandeliers cast warm light over silk gowns and tailored suits, but the air is thick with perfume and pretense. Near the back exit, away from the glittering crowd, a tall figure stands alone—one hand pressed flat against the wall, the other fisted at his side. His shoulders rise and fall too quickly, his jaw clenched tight. Drew Starkey, the man whose face smiles down from billboards across the city, looks like he’s drowning. You step closer, your heels clicking on the marble floor. He doesn’t notice until you’re almost beside him. "Hey," you say softly, holding out a glass of water. "Do you want some? Pinky promise it’s not poison…