The set was buzzing with energy as the cast and crew prepared for another day of filming. The salty breeze from the nearby beach carried the hum of conversation and the clatter of equipment. Romy walked toward the makeup trailer, her stomach twisting in knots. She'd barely slept after last night—her thoughts looping endlessly around Drew and that moment outside the diner.

"Romy! You're here early," Madison called, jogging over with a coffee in hand. Her bright smile immediately put Romy at ease, even if only temporarily.

"Yeah, figured I'd get a head start," Romy said, smiling back as naturally as she could manage.

"Good call. They're filming the big group scene first, so we're all in it together. It's gonna be chaos," Madison said with a laugh before heading off.

Romy exhaled, trying to steady herself. She was about to head into the trailer when she spotted Drew standing a few feet away, chatting with Chase and Rudy. His hands were tucked in the pockets of his hoodie, and the way he tilted his head back to laugh at something Rudy said made Romy's heart stutter.

Before she could duck into the trailer and avoid him, Drew's gaze shifted and locked onto hers. His easy smile faltered for half a second, replaced by a flicker of something she couldn't quite read. Then he gave her a small nod, like nothing had happened.

Romy nodded back, her face heating up as she quickly stepped inside the trailer.

The awkwardness only grew when they were all on set. The scene involved the whole cast standing on the docks, arguing over some made-up treasure map prop that Rudy kept jokingly trying to steal between takes.

"Romy, you're over here," the director said, pointing to a spot near Drew.

Of course.

Romy moved to her mark, acutely aware of Drew standing less than a foot away. He glanced at her, his usual smirk in place, but there was something a little more cautious about it now.

"Morning Romy," he said softly, his voice just loud enough for her to hear.

"Morning," she replied quickly, looking straight ahead and fidgeting with the hem of her jacket.

The silence between them was palpable. It wasn't hostile, but it wasn't exactly comfortable either.

"You good?" Drew asked after a beat, leaning slightly closer so the others wouldn't hear.

"Yeah," Romy said, forcing a smile. "Totally fine."

"You sure?" He tilted his head, his expression unreadable but just amused enough to make her heart race.

"Positive," she said, the word coming out a little too quickly.

Before Drew could say anything else, Rudy sidled up beside them, holding the fake map and squinting at it dramatically. "Okay, I've cracked the code. The treasure is hidden in craft services. Who's with me?"

Madelyn rolled her eyes from across the dock. "You're insufferable."

"You love me," Rudy shot back, grinning.

The group burst into laughter, and Romy was grateful for the distraction. She focused on Rudy's antics, trying to forget about the way Drew's presence made her chest feel tight. The rest of the scene went by in a blur of instructions and laughter, but every time Drew's voice cut through the noise or his laugh echoed too close, Romy felt a jolt, as if she were hyper-aware of him in a way that made her want to disappear and be seen at the same time.

When the director finally called for a break, Romy darted off the set to find a quiet spot. She perched on a crate near the props table, trying to steady herself. Drew wasn't even doing anything out of the ordinary, and yet it felt like he was taking up all the oxygen around her.

Her reprieve was short-lived. The others filtered past her, grabbing water or snacks, chatting loudly. Drew appeared moments later, heading straight for Chase and Rudy without so much as glancing her way.

Romy frowned slightly, brushing it off at first. Drew had probably gotten caught up with whatever the guys were talking about. No big deal. But as the day went on, it started to feel deliberate.

Every time they were near each other on set, Drew avoided her gaze. When the cast huddled between takes, he shifted to stand closer to Chase or Madison. At one point, Romy tried to casually join the conversation he was having with Rudy, but Drew cut himself off mid-sentence and turned his back to her, pretending to adjust his mic pack.

What the hell?

By lunchtime, the awkward tension had reached its peak. Romy sat at the far end of the picnic table with Madison and Jonathan, pretending not to notice Drew sitting with Chase and Rudy on the opposite side. She stabbed at her salad, her appetite completely gone.

Madison nudged her. "You okay? You've been quiet."

Romy forced a smile. "Yeah, just tired. Long day."

Jonathan gave her a knowing look but didn't push. Instead, he launched into a story about a prank Rudy had pulled on set last season, drawing everyone's attention. Romy was grateful for the distraction, even if it didn't completely erase the unease bubbling inside her.

As the afternoon dragged on, Romy tried to focus on her work, ignoring the weird shift in Drew's behaviour. She delivered her lines, hit her marks, and laughed along with everyone when Rudy improvised a ridiculous ad-lib that had Chase doubling over. But every time Drew walked past her without saying a word or positioned himself just out of her line of sight, the knot in her stomach tightened.

By the time the sun started to dip below the horizon, signalling the end of filming for the day, Romy was completely over it.

The cast began to disperse, heading back to the trailers or lingering by the craft services table. Romy hung back, waiting until most of the group had gone, then made her way toward her trailer.

"Romy!" Madison called out, jogging to catch up with her. "We're doing a beach bonfire tonight. You in?"

Romy hesitated, glancing toward the parking lot where Drew was leaning against Chase's car, talking animatedly with him and Rudy. "I'll think about it," she said, trying to muster some enthusiasm.

Madison tilted her head, studying her for a moment. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," Romy said quickly. "Just a lot on my mind."

Madison nodded, not entirely convinced. "Well, let me know. It won't be the same without you."

Romy smiled faintly as Madison walked away, leaving her alone in the fading light.

She turned toward her trailer, determined to shake off the weirdness of the day, but as she approached the steps, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned, her breath catching when she saw Drew standing a few feet away.

For a moment, neither of them said anything. Drew opened his mouth, then hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Hey," he finally said, his voice quieter than usual.

"Hey," Romy replied, crossing her arms.

Drew looked like he was about to say more, but then his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, his jaw tightening. "I've gotta go. See you tomorrow."

Without waiting for her response, he turned and walked away, leaving Romy standing there, confused and a little hurt.

As she watched him disappear into the parking lot, she couldn't help but wonder what had changed between last night and now—and why Drew seemed so determined to pretend she didn't exist.

last night,

The glow of Drew's phone lit up his face as he sat in the passenger seat of Rudy's car, parked outside his apartment. Rudy had insisted on driving them back after the diner hangout, claiming Drew looked too "distracted" to be trusted behind the wheel.

Distracted didn't even begin to cover it. Drew had barely said a word on the ride home, his mind replaying the way Romy had smiled at him outside the diner, the feel of her hand in his when they shook on their coffee "deal." And the kiss on her cheek—God, what was he thinking?

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as his phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn't a notification from the group chat or Instagram. It was a name he hadn't seen light up his phone in weeks: Taylor.

Drew stared at the screen for a long moment before opening the message.

𝗧𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗼𝗿: Hey, been thinking about you. Can we talk?

His heart sank, guilt twisting in his chest. He knew he shouldn't respond—knew it would only complicate things—but his thumb hovered over the keyboard, his thoughts spiralling.

Taylor had been his world for two years. The breakup hadn't been messy, but it had left its mark. They'd gone their separate ways, but there was still a weight there, something unresolved. And now, just when he'd started to feel like he could move on, she was reaching out.

Drew exhaled sharply, then typed out a reply.

𝗗𝗿𝗲𝘄: Hey. What's up?

The response came almost instantly.

𝗧𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗼𝗿: I miss you. Can we meet? Just to talk?

He hesitated, his mind tugging in two directions. Part of him wanted to say no, to let the past stay where it belonged. But another part—the part that still felt the sting of their breakup—couldn't ignore her.

𝗗𝗿𝗲𝘄: I don't know if that's a good idea.

𝗧𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗼𝗿: Please, Drew. Just once. I need closure.

He stared at the screen, his jaw tightening. Closure. Wasn't that what he wanted too?

With a groan, Drew typed out one last reply.

𝗗𝗿𝗲𝘄: Okay. Tomorrow. But just to talk.

As soon as he hit send, he tossed his phone onto the dashboard and leaned back in his seat, running both hands over his face.

"Everything okay?" Rudy asked, finally breaking the silence.

Drew glanced at him, forcing a tight smile. "Yeah. Just tired."

Rudy didn't push, but the sceptical look he shot Drew made it clear he wasn't buying the excuse.

As Drew climbed out of the car and headed inside, his phone buzzed again. He didn't check it. Instead, he let the messages pile up, the weight of the conversation settling heavily on his chest.

His mind drifted back to Romy, to the way her eyes had lit up when she laughed and how easy it had been to talk to her—until it wasn't. Now, with Taylor's text hanging between them like an invisible wall, Drew felt the pull of the past clawing at him, threatening to ruin whatever fragile new thing might've been starting with Romy.

By the time he fell into bed, sleep felt impossible. All he could think about was the mess he was walking into—and the chance he might've already ruined.

The morning sunlight filtered through Drew's blinds, but it did little to shake off the weight in his chest. His alarm buzzed on the bedside table, and he swiped it off irritably, groaning as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.

Last night's texts with Taylor played on a loop in his mind. He'd agreed to meet her later today, but the thought of it made his stomach churn. Why had he said yes? What was he hoping to accomplish?

And then there was Romy. Drew ran a hand through his messy hair, the memory of her soft laugh and the way her cheeks had flushed when he kissed her on the cheek making him feel both elated and guilty.

He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts away. He needed to focus on work, on filming, on anything but the tangle of emotions threatening to pull him under.

On set, Drew slipped into his usual routine, throwing himself into his scenes and cracking jokes with Chase and Rudy to fill the awkward silences. But every time he saw Romy, standing off to the side or running through her lines, his chest tightened.

He told himself he was doing the right thing by keeping his distance. Romy didn't deserve to be dragged into his mess, not when he had no idea how he felt or what he wanted. But the hurt look on her face every time he brushed past her without a word was enough to make him want to punch himself.

It was mid-afternoon when Drew finally caught a moment alone. He was leaning against a wall near the trailers, scrolling absently through his phone, when a shadow fell across him.

"Hey."

He looked up, startled to see Romy standing there, arms crossed, her expression guarded.

"Hey," he said, straightening.

"You've been avoiding me all day," she said bluntly, her tone leaving no room for excuses.

Drew sighed, slipping his phone into his pocket. "I haven't been—"

"Don't," she cut him off, her eyes narrowing. "I'm not stupid, Drew. I know when someone's avoiding me."

He rubbed the back of his neck, the weight of her gaze making him feel like a kid caught sneaking out past curfew. "It's not what you think," he said finally.

"Then explain," she challenged, stepping closer. "Because last night, you kissed me on the cheek and acted like you actually cared. And now, you're acting like I don't even exist."

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. He looked away, guilt and frustration warring inside him. "I've just got a lot going on right now," he said lamely.

Romy crossed her arms tighter, her jaw tightening. "Right. Because that clears everything up."

Drew hesitated, the words he wanted to say catching in his throat. He couldn't tell her about Taylor. Not yet. Not when he didn't even know how to make sense of it himself.

"Romy, I'm sorry," he said softly, his voice almost breaking. "I just... I don't want to screw things up with you."

Her expression softened slightly, but her shoulders stayed tense. "Then stop running away," she said, her voice quieter now. "If you're not ready for... whatever this is, fine. But don't act like I don't matter. That's worse."

Drew swallowed hard, her words cutting deeper than he wanted to admit. "You do matter," he said firmly, his gaze meeting hers. "More than you know."

For a moment, they just stood there, the air between them heavy with unspoken things.

But before Drew could say anything else, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen, his stomach sinking when he saw Taylor's name.

Romy caught the shift in his expression, her eyes narrowing again. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Drew said quickly, stuffing his phone back into his pocket. "I just... I've gotta take care of something."

"Of course you do," she said, her voice flat.

"Romy, wait—"

But she was already walking away, her shoulders stiff and her head held high. Drew watched her go, the knot in his chest tightening.

He wanted to run after her, to explain everything, to tell her how much she mattered to him. But the weight of Taylor's message was too heavy, dragging him down.

With a frustrated sigh, Drew pulled out his phone and opened the text.

𝗧𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗼𝗿: Still on for later?

His thumbs hovered over the keyboard as he glanced back toward where Romy had disappeared around the corner.

𝗗𝗿𝗲𝘄: Yeah. I'll be there.

As he hit send, a sinking feeling settled in his stomach. He had no idea how he was going to fix this—or if he even could.

𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝗼𝗯𝘅𝗳𝗮𝗻𝟴𝟵, 𝘁𝗮𝘆𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘁, 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 and 6.5m others

sip  Spotted! Drew Starkey and his ex-girlfriend, Taylor Bennett, were seen together at a bowling alley earlier today, sparking rumour's of a possible reconciliation. The pair appeared deep in conversation as they played side by side, with Taylor at one point placing a hand on Drew's arm. While neither has confirmed or denied anything about their current relationship status, fans are already speculating about what this meeting could mean. Is it just two exes catching up, or could there be something more going on? Stay tuned for updates!

👤 𝘁𝗮𝘆𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘁, 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘆

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𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗺𝘆𝗳𝗮𝗻 I'm gonna pretend I didn't see this 😭 #DromyForever

𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 "I swear if they're back together, I'm done. DONE."

𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗸𝗮𝗵𝗵𝗵 Classic ex behaviour. Can we not??

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗯𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗲 Let's all take a deep breath, people. They're allowed to be friends...right?

𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 Is it bad I kind of ship them? Don't come for me.
↳ 𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵  𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗽 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 👏

𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 Drew out here acting like he's the lead in a rom-com. Bro, this ain't it.

𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 dose drew know about this?

𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 Drew, blink twice if you need help getting out of this situation.

𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 Nah, this is giving 'we need to talk about our dog custody' vibes.

𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲 Rudy and Chase better be roasting Drew for this one.
↳ 𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗸𝗲𝘀 ofc we are allie🙄

Romy was scrolling through her phone during a break on set, sipping on an iced coffee as she lounged in one of the chairs by the trailer. She wasn't expecting much—just the usual flood of notifications, memes from Sofia, and maybe a fan edit someone tagged her in. But then, her thumb froze.

Right there, splashed across her feed, was a photo of Drew and Taylor at a bowling alley. Taylor's hand rested casually on Drew's arm as they leaned close, mid-laugh. The caption was the real kicker:

"Sparks flying? Drew Starkey and Taylor Bennett spotted reconnecting during a late-night bowling date. Are these two rekindling their romance? 👀"

Romy's stomach dropped, the iced coffee suddenly tasting bitter. She clicked on the post and scrolled through the comments. Fans were already speculating, dissecting every pixel of the photo, and calling Drew out for the sudden reunion.

Her heart raced as a million thoughts ran through her head. A date? Reconnecting? She stared at the photo again, her jaw tightening. After the way Drew had acted yesterday—avoiding her, brushing her off, looking like he wanted to say something but never did—it all made sense now.

Sofia's voice jolted her out of her thoughts. "Oh my god, you saw it, didn't you?"

Romy looked up, meeting Sofia's wide, sympathetic eyes. "Saw what?" she asked, her tone sharper than she intended.

Sofia hesitated, biting her lip before pulling her phone out of her pocket. "This," she said, holding the screen up to show the same post Romy had just been staring at. "I thought maybe you hadn't—"

"I saw it," Romy cut her off, her voice flat.

Sofia sat down next to her, concern etched across her face. "Look, maybe it's not what it looks like. You know how these tabloids are. They'll spin anything into a story."

"Yeah, sure," Romy said with a humourless laugh. "But they didn't Photoshop her hand on his arm, did they?"

Sofia didn't have a response for that, so she just placed a reassuring hand on Romy's shoulder. "He's probably just being an idiot. Guys are like that sometimes."

Romy set her coffee down, her grip tightening around her phone. "You know what's worse?" she muttered. "He didn't even have the decency to tell me. Yesterday, he acted like I didn't exist, and now I get to find out through Instagram that he's playing 'happy reunion' with his ex?"

"Romy—"

"No, it's fine," Romy said, standing up abruptly. "I don't care. He can do whatever he wants."

But the crack in her voice gave her away, and Sofia didn't miss it.

"Hey," Sofia called after her as Romy started walking away. "If you want to talk, I'm here, okay?"

Romy paused for a second before nodding without turning around. "Thanks," she said softly.

She spent the rest of the break walking around the lot, trying to shake off the mix of anger and hurt bubbling inside her. But no matter how hard she tried, the image of Drew and Taylor at the bowling alley wouldn't leave her mind.

Back on Set

The rest of the day passed in a blur for Romy. She threw herself into her scenes, delivering line after line with laser-sharp focus, hoping to bury the frustration and confusion boiling inside her. But every time she caught a glimpse of Drew across the set, it all came rushing back.

He wasn't avoiding her outright anymore—not like yesterday—but he wasn't exactly going out of his way to talk to her either. He kept his distance, chatting with Rudy or Chase between takes, always finding a reason to turn the other way whenever she was near.

It was infuriating.

"Take five!" the director called out after wrapping another scene, and Romy practically bolted from her mark. She needed air, space—anything to stop herself from snapping at Drew in front of the entire crew.

As she walked toward the trailers, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned, half-expecting Sofia, but froze when she saw Drew standing there, his hands shoved into his pockets and an uncertain look on his face.

"Hey," he said, his voice low.

Romy folded her arms across her chest, her expression unreadable. "Hey."

Drew shifted his weight from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable. "Can we talk?"

Her jaw tightened. "Talk? Now you want to talk?"

"I—yeah," he said, glancing around awkwardly. "I feel like I owe you an explanation."

Romy let out a short laugh, shaking her head. "You think? Drew, I don't even know where to start with you. One minute, we're... whatever we were outside the diner, and the next, you're treating me like I don't exist. And now, this?" She gestured vaguely, her tone dripping with frustration. "You let me find out about you and your ex from some stupid Instagram post? Are you serious?"

Drew winced, his gaze dropping to the ground. "I didn't mean for you to find out like that."

"Oh, that makes it better," she said, her voice sharp. "Thanks for clearing that up."

"It's not what you think," he said quickly, stepping closer. "Taylor reached out to me. She said she wanted closure, and I thought—"

"You thought what?" Romy interrupted, her eyes flashing. "That it was a good idea to go bowling with her? While you were ignoring me, by the way."

Drew ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated with himself. "I know I screwed up. I wasn't thinking."

"No kidding," she shot back, her tone icy.

"I didn't want to drag you into my mess," he said, his voice quieter now. "Taylor and I... it's complicated. But it's over. It's been over for a long time. Yesterday was just... I don't know. A mistake."

Romy stared at him, her arms still crossed, her expression unreadable. "A mistake?" she echoed. "So what does that make me? A mistake too?"

Drew's eyes widened. "No! God, no. Romy, you're the last person I'd ever want to hurt. That's why I—"

"That's why you what? Shut me out?" she snapped. "Drew, if you think ignoring me and pretending like nothing happened is some kind of noble thing, then you don't know me at all."

He opened his mouth to respond, but the words didn't come. For a moment, they just stood there, the air between them heavy with everything unsaid.

Finally, Romy shook her head, her voice softer but still firm. "You don't get to play the hero here, Drew. Not when you're the one who made this mess in the first place."

Before he could respond, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing there, his heart sinking lower with every step she took.

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