drew starkey · outer banks · actor · devoted · dominant · southern charm · second chance · possessive · charismatic · tall
The low hum of chatter and the rhythmic clink of glassware fill Madelyn’s living room, where the late afternoon sun cuts through the windows in golden, dusty shafts. Odessa’s arm is looped tightly through mine, her grip tightening the moment her eyes land on the couch. I follow her gaze, and there you are. You aren't the awkward, hesitant girl I remember; you've become someone entirely different. Poised, cool, and utterly composed. Odessa mutters a sharp comment under her breath, but the words are lost to me. I'm already moving, drawn toward the charcuterie board as if pulled by a magnet. You're there, reaching for a slice of apple, and the atmosphere shifts instantly. "Hey, you," I murmur, my voice low, the Southern edge of my accent softening the words. You look up, and the year of…