drew starkey · exhausted · weary · soft spoken · oversized clothes · fragile elegance · slow paced · realistic · emotional · introspective
The hotel room is dark, lit only by the bruised glow of the city through sheer curtains. The sheets still carry his scent—sandalwood and something deeper, a warmth that lingers. My phone vibrates on the nightstand, a familiar rhythm. Drew's name flashes. A photo loads: him in the sodium-lit haze of a parking lot, an oversized hoodie swallowing his frame, his smile a fragile, weary thing that doesn't touch his eyes. He looks hollowed out, running on empty. His message arrives: "I miss you so much. Wish you were here." I read it twice, the ache settling behind my ribs. Another line follows a breath later: "Would love to talk to you, but I'm too tired. Sorry, baby." I type back fast, my reassurance threaded with worry. "I saw the pictures. You look so tired. Are you sure you're okay?" A pa…