MIDNIGHT SKY.
﹆ . ⁺ . ✦ ﹒₊˚𓂃 ★﹒₊‧
⌞ 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖾𝗅𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 .ᐟ ⌝

MESSAGES  |  UNIT 309 GANG
╭・␥ 📱 ★﹒active now

participants:
madison bailey   ⤑   bailey bailey bailey
raella king   ⤑  #1 directioner
saige halley   ⤑   certified matcha hater

TODAY 2:37 PM

#1 directioner
that was #draige hard launch
ya'll can't tell me otherwise

bailey bailey bailey
LITERALLY
i'm freaking out rn

certified matcha hater
GUYS OMG
DANIELA LIKED THE POST

bailey bailey bailey
WHAT?!

#1 directioner
OOP–
the past and the future collide

certified matcha hater
okay but
was it wrong for me to post him?
i asked his permission and he gave me the go
but it feels kinda illegal
knowing they still have something going on

bailey bailey bailey
hold up
wdym they still have something going on?

certified matcha hater
OKAY WELL
i haven't told you guys about this but...
remember movie night at maddie's?
drew and i kind of ended up meeting on the
rooftop when ya'll were asleep

#1 directioner
real sneaky
it's giving forbidden romance vibes

certified matcha hater
and he said some things about where his head's at rn
and he dropped a fucking bombshell
he and daniela still have UNRESOLVED ISSUES

#1 directioner
WHAT?!
the way i just screamed

bailey bailey bailey
YOU'RE KIDDING

certified matcha hater
honestly wish i was 
I'M SO CONFLICTED RN
i like him but idk if he likes me back
because clearly he's still hung up over daniela
but he also gives me all this mixed signals
but i ain't complaining doe ;)

#1 directioner
HE'S IN DENIAL

bailey bailey bailey
POTENTIALLY

certified matcha hater
😭
he's so confusing

bailey bailey bailey
tbh, i think you're both confused
he's emotionally unavailable and you're
emotionally TOO available
you're not giving yourself boundaries at all

certified matcha hater
ok that kinda hurts :(

#1 directioner
but did she lie tho?

certified matcha hater
not really no :(
ugh i feel so stupid rn
why am i like this?
he literally made it clear he just
wanted to be friends

bailey bailey bailey
it's not even your fault he's sending mixed signals

certified matcha hater
it's my fault for being delulu

#1 directioner
you should just go with the flow honestly
who knows where this is going?

bailey bailey bailey
oh i know
she's gonna get her heart broken

certified matcha hater
okay wow
you took the words right outta my mouth

bailey bailey bailey
just here to keep it real

#1 directioner
you're too real, bails.

bailey bailey bailey
speaking of real
maddie said we should all go camping
like friday night

certified matcha hater
wtf
maddie and camping?
is she okay?

#1 directioner
girl just wants us to suffer together

bailey bailey bailey
HAHAHAHAHA
but let's all go
we need a lil nature detox

certified matcha hater
i'm down
is drew coming? ;)

bailey bailey bailey
simp
but yeah
funny thing is...
he actually asked me if you and raella were going :)

certified matcha hater
REALLY?
👀

bailey bailey bailey
bro it gets better
as soon as i said you were coming,
he was like "yeah, okay, i'm in"
🫦

#1 directioner
ok i'm calling it now!
he likes you

certified matcha hater
STOP
I'M SCREAMING RN
but speaking of the devil
he just messaged me
bye

INSTAGRAM  |  PRIVATE
╭・␥ 📱 ★﹒active now

participants:
drew starkey   ⤑   @drewstarkey
saige halley   ⤑   @lovesaige

𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘 2:50 PM

drewstarkey
who are you riding to the campsite with?

lovesaige
what happened to hello? how are you?

drewstarkey
hi.
better?

lovesaige
cold asf 😔
also probably raella and jd
madison's riding with maddie, chase, and rudy

drewstarkey
come ride with me.
it's just us two.

lovesaige
sounds like you're tryna get me all to yourself ;)

drewstarkey
i'm not exactly opposed to that.
think you could handle it?

lovesaige
what do you think...
you sure you don't mind some company?

drewstarkey
as long as it's you.
so, what do you say?

lovesaige
duh
yes

drewstarkey
alright.

MESSAGES | F.R.I.E.N.D.S
╭・␥ 📱 ★﹒active now

participants:
madison bailey   ⤑   bailey
madelyn cline   ⤑  maddie
carlacia grant   ⤑   carlacia
drew starkey   ⤑   drew
rudy pankow   ⤑   rudy
jonathan davis   ⤑  jd
chase stokes   ⤑   chase
austin north   ⤑   austin

TODAY 5:59 PM

maddie
ya'll ready?
let's convoy
madison, rudy, and i are riding with chase
jd and drew are gonna drive in separate cars
that leaves raella and saige where?

jd
i think they're with me
we've got all the food and drinks
yk the important stuff

drew
saige is riding with me

madison
OMG WHAT

rudy
bold move.
reaaal bold ;)

maddie
interesting 👀

drew
what?
it's just a ride
you guys are making it sound like something more

chase
but it is doe ;)

austin
you're honestly making it sound like
we're not all DYING to know what's
going on with you and saige 🤭

drew
man nothing's going on

rudy
nah bro
we see you
tryna keep it casual
but we're all here for it
we KNOW

madison
100%

drew
whatever you guys say
but she's riding with me
✌🏻

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

    A somber song filled Drew's car as his hand gripped the steering wheel, effortlessly maneuvering the car onto the highway. They were right behind JD and Raella, who followed Chase's car. Saige shifted in her seat, trying to find a more comfortable position. Madelyn had said the car ride would take about an hour and a half so she might as well get cozy.

    "You okay?" Drew's voice filled the silence as he glanced at her in the corner of his eye.

    "Yep," Saige responded with a grin, meeting his gaze briefly. "Eyes on the road, Starkey."

    Drew rolled his eyes at that, switching hands on the wheel. "Relax. I've got this."

    "You know," Saige began, leaning her head back into the seat. "This isn't as bad as I thought it'd be."

    "What?"

    "Car rides with you," She clarified. "I mean, it could be worse."

    Drew raised an eyebrow, giving her a quick glance. "Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?"

    "Depends," She teased, a playful grin tugging at her lips. "How do you wanna take it?"

    Drew only chuckled in response. Saige smiled at him and then turned her attention back to the cars passing by in the window.

    The car settled into a comfortable silence as the music transitioned into another mellow tune. Drew and his existential crisis playlist was in full effect, she mused. Saige let her eyes wander, the rhythm of the drive calming her until a notification popped up on Drew's phone.

    She couldn't help but peek at it; her attention snapping to the center console as his phone lit up. Her stomach dropped as she caught the wallpaper.

    It wasn't anything extravagant, just a simple photo of someone facing away from the camera, their side profile was the only visible feature. But Saige knew that wavy blonde hair anywhere.

It was Daniela.

    Her lips tugged into a brief frown before she caught herself, looking away quickly. Drew didn't seem to notice, his focus still on the road ahead.

    "Nice wallpaper." Saige cleared her throat, her voice casual but laced with a hint of curiosity.

    Drew glanced down momentarily to his phone, catching a glimpse of his wallpaper just before his phone dimmed. His jaw clenched for a moment before he spoke. "Yeah, uh... I haven't changed it in a while."

    Saige leaned back, crossing her arms in an attempt to appear unbothered by the whole thing. "Interesting," she said, her voice tinged with playful sarcasm. "Very... nostalgic of you."

    Drew sighed softly, as if catching her undertone. He then took a quick look at her, his eyes briefly flickering with something she couldn't quite read. Concern? Worry?

No, it couldn't be.

    "It's just a photo." Was all he said, his tone neutral but quieter than before.

    Saige's heart skipped a beat at that. Just... a photo?

    "Hmmm," Saige hummed in response before letting out a soft laugh. "Still not gonna tell me what's up with you and her?" The question came out before she could contain it.

    Drew didn't respond right away, his hand tightening slightly on the steering wheel. The silence between them grew, the music fading into the background as the weight of the moment settled in.

    "I don't think about it now as much as you might think." He finally replied. "Her, I mean."

    The fuck?

    Saige turned her head to look at him, surprised clouded her features. "I didn't say you did." The once teasing tone in her voice was gone, replaced by something benevolent.

    Drew nodded, small and imperceptible, his eyes still fixed ahead. "Just figured I should say it."

    Saige watched him for a moment longer, her chest tightening. She wanted to ask more, to dig deeper into what he meant, but she held back. Instead, she forced a smile, adjusting uncomfortably in her seat.

    "You don't have to explain it, you know." She said, her voice soft.

    "I know." Drew responded almost immediately, his jaw clenching. "Look, can we not... talk about this right here?"

    And just like that, the moment passed. But not without leaving something unspoken lingering between them. The tension in the air felt thicker now, despite the music playing softly in the background.

    For the next few minutes, Saige tried to let herself loosen up, reminding herself that she shouldn't feel bothered or upset, even. After all, there wasn't something between them, right?

    But as her thoughts swirled, she couldn't shake the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach—the weight of the unspoken words between them, the glimpse of his wallpaper, his reaction when she teased him.

    She couldn't figure out why it felt like there was more to them than just friends. That it was more than just the silence between them now. It was as if the space they were sharing had been filled with something unsaid, and it made her uncomfortable in a way she didn't quite understand.

    She shifted, yet again, in her seat, looking over at him, but Drew kept his focus on the road ahead, his jaw set, his grip on the steering wheel tighter than it had been earlier. The calmness in his face felt like a mask, and for a moment, Saige wondered if he was just as restless inside as she was.

    "If you want to talk about it, just—" She started before she could stop herself.

    "I don't." Drew cut her off.

    Her heart skipped at the finality of his words. The tension only thickened. She wanted to push, ask him more, get him to open up. But she also didn't want to cross a line, not when things were already awkward enough. So, she swallowed her curiosity and nodded before staring out the window.

    For the rest of the ride, the silence wasn't uncomfortable but it wasn't easy either. Saige let her mind wander, her thoughts unceasingly circling back to Drew. She couldn't help but wonder if this was something she should ignore or if maybe... there was more to them than they were willing to admit.

GWYN'S NOTE.
ఌ︎
tbh, i live for the tension, the drama, and the unspoken words between saige and drew <3

also, i just wanted to put it out there that "risk" by gracie abrams is probably saige and drew's theme song bc i think it truly encapsulates saige's feelings for drew, idk.

anyways, stay tuned for next chapter ;)