‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

ROSEWOOD CASTIGLION DEL BOSCO
tuscany, italy
saturday
july 20, 2024
12pm

my head throbbed as i slowly opened my eyes. the bright sunlight streaming in through the curtains sent a jolt of pain through my skull. i winced, rubbing my temples. last night's party was wild, and the after-effects were definitely taking a toll on me.

i groaned as i realized i had no filming today. it was a small glimmer of positivity on this otherwise miserable morning. the thought of having to get up and get ready for a day of shooting in my current state was daunting. i silently thanked whoever had decided to cancel filming today. i felt as though my head was about to split open.

drew was still fast asleep next to me. his breathing was slow and steady, and he looked peaceful. watching him sleep always made me feel a sense of comfort, no matter how hung over i was. despite the pounding in my head, i couldn't help but appreciate the moment of calm between us.

i slowly sat up in bed, wincing as the movement sent another wave of pain through my head. i looked down at drew, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. i smiled softly, feeling a wave of affection for him. i resisted the urge to run my fingers over his hair, not wanting to wake him just yet.

instead, i got up and headed to the bathroom. the cool floor felt refreshing against my bare feet, and i took a deep breath, trying to clear my head. i splashed some cold water on my face, hoping it would help ease my headache. i glanced at myself in the mirror, wincing at my disheveled appearance. my eyes were heavy with sleep and my hair was a mess. i quickly brushed my teeth and attempted to tame my hair into something slightly less wild looking.

i returned to the bedroom, feeling a little more like myself. i climbed back into bed, careful not to disturb drew. he shifted in his sleep, mumbling something unintelligible. i watched as he rolled onto his side, his arm extending toward the space i had just vacated.

i laughed quietly and looked at my phone only to see an article about amo popping up on my instagram feed.

i scrolled through the article, my heart sinking as i read about how amo had been arrested for public intoxication. he had been caught in a drunken stupor in a local park and had been brought in to detox in a prison. i couldn't believe it. that he would let himself go like that.

i closed the article and tossed my phone aside, feeling a mix of anger and sadness. it was clear that he was struggling with something, and i couldn't help but feel worried for him.

drew let out a soft groan as he slowly started to wake up. he stretched his arms above his head, his eyes still closed. as his senses started to wake up, he reached out beside him, his hand landing on the empty space where i had been.

he opened his eyes, blinking at the sunlight filtering in through the curtains. he looked over and saw me lying there, looking at my phone. a slow, sleepy smile spread across his face as he saw me. "morning, beautiful." he said, his voice husky from sleep.

"morning, drew." i said softly, setting down my phone. i leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss.

he pulled me close, deepening the kiss. his hands tangled in my hair, and i couldn't help but melt into his embrace. the pain in my head was momentarily forgotten as i got lost in the moment with him.

he broke the kiss, pulling away just enough to look at me. "what time is it?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep. i glanced at the clock on the nightstand, seeing that it was just past noon.

"half past noon." i replied, snuggling closer to him. i didn't want to move from this spot, not yet. drew let out a content sigh and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer.

"do we have to get up?" he asked, his voice muffled by my hair. "you feel so good." i chuckled at his words, feeling a wave of affection for him.

"lucky us filming got cancelled." i said with a smile.

"cancelled?" he repeated, his eyes fluttering open to look at me. "what happened?" he ran his hand over my cheek, concern etching his features.

i shook my head. "i don't know. luca probably knew we were partying and decided to give us the day off."

"damn. you got away with it, huh?" he teased, a grin spreading across his face. i playfully swatted at his arm before burying my face in his chest, my laughter muffled by his shirt.

he shrugged nonchalantly. "i've got a pretty high tolerance." he said in reply. "you're just a lightweight." 

i rolled my eyes at his remark but couldn't deny it. i definitely felt the effects of last night's booze more than him.

he grabbed his phone and unlocked it as he scrolled through it. "you know that guy you used to date...that amo one. the model."

my stomach twisted at the mention of his name. "yeah, what about him?" i asked, bracing myself for whatever news he was about to tell me.

"well, he's all over social media right now." he said with a snort. "arrested for public intoxication apparently. he was caught in some park completely wasted."

i felt a knot form in my stomach. "mhm, i uh...i spoke with him last night. he called me at the party to wish me a happy birthday. he didn't sound drunk or anything, just a little odd."

"yeah, and a little odd landed him in a jail cell." drew chuckled, seemingly finding the whole situation amusing. "who even gets arrested for something like that?"

"he's struggling, drew." i said, feeling a surge of protectiveness towards amo. his behavior last night had been strange, but i couldn't help but feel empathy for him.

drew looked at me, his amusement replaced by confusion. "zar, he's a grown man. he made his own choices."

i sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and sadness. "i know that drew, but he's going through something. i don't know what, but he's not acting like himself. he sounded so off last night, i just...i'm worried about him."

drew nodded slowly, seeming to catch the hint of urgency in my voice. he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him. "you're a good person, azaria."

i leaned into his embrace, feeling comforted by his gesture. "thank you, drew." i said softly, looking up at him. "i just...i can't help but care about him, you know? even though things didn't work out between us, he's still important to me."

"you never stop caring about people, do you?" he said, a hint of admiration in his voice. "it's one of the things i love about you."

i felt a warm blush rising up my neck at his words. "i just can't ignore someone in need, you know?" i said, my voice barely a whisper.

drew nodded thoughtfully, his grip around me tightening. "you have a heart of gold, azaria."

i kissed his cheek. "so what are people saying about him?"

"well, the general consensus is that he's finally lost his mind. you know, his career was already falling apart after that incident in paris. i guess this was just the last straw." drew said, his voice nonchalant. "apparently, he was out of his mind when he was brought in. rambling, slurring his words, all that stuff. seems like he may have been on something."

my stomach tightened at the news. i felt a surge of concern for him. "do we know how long he's going to be in there?" i asked carefully, already dreading the answer.

"no idea. might be awhile." drew said with a shrug. "he'll be fine in the end. he's a big celebrity. they'll probably let him out as soon as his lawyers get involved."

i nodded. "do you think his career is over?" i questioned, wanting his opinion on the one question i couldn't figure out the answer to.

"if this keeps up? absolutely." drew said without hesitation. "they're going to see him as too big of a liability. who's going to hire someone who acts so wildly?

"that's a good point." i said thoughtfully. "i guess we'll see what his legal team can do for him." i sighed and snuggled closer to drew, the weight of the situation sinking in. i didn't want to believe that this was it for him.

just as the conversation was about to trail off, my phone started ringing. i reached over to grab it, seeing that amo was calling. my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. after last night's weird conversation, this was the last person i expected to hear from.

i showed drew the caller id. he raised his eyebrows and nodded, "answer and put it on speaker."

"hello?" i said cautiously, my voice wavering slightly.

the line was silent for a moment, then i heard a familiar voice on the other end. "azaria?"

"yes, it's me." i replied, feeling a mix of anticipation and worry. "what is it, amo?"

"i...i wanted to apologize." he said quietly. "i don't even remember calling you last night. i...i'm a mess. i'm the problem." i noticed a tremor in his voice.

my heart ached at his words. "amo, you're going through a lot right now. it's okay." i said softly.

"no, it's not okay." he replied, his voice cracking. "i've been a complete jerk to everyone. i don't know why i keep acting like this. i'm sorry."

i could hear his remorse, and it broke my heart. "amo, please calm down. take a deep breath." i looked at drew.

his expression was unreadable, but his grip on me tightened ever so slightly.

there was a pause and then a shaky inhale came through the phone. "okay." amo said quietly. "i'm okay."

"good." i said, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "please take care of yourself, okay? i'm worried about you."

he was silent for a moment, then i heard a soft sigh. "i will." he said finally. "and again, i'm sorry. for everything."

"it's alright, amo. just focus on getting better." i replied softly. "i'm here if you need me, okay?"

another beat of silence, and then he spoke up again. "thank you, azaria. you...you always know what to say."

i sighed. "maybe you should go to spend time with your mom in utah." i said referring to his hometown.

"yeah, i've been thinking about it." he said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

we spoke for a few more minutes before he said goodbye and ended the call. i set the phone down and looked at drew, feeling a wave of emotions wash over me.

drew reached over and pulled me closer, his arms wrapping around me. "you handled that really well."

"thanks." i said, leaning into his embrace. the stress from the call was seeping away, replaced by the comforting feeling of being in his arms.

we stayed like that for a few moments, silently basking in each other's company.

"can we just stay like this all day?" i questioned.

"absolutely." he said, kissing me on the forehead. "just you and me."

i smiled, feeling the weight of the world lift off my shoulders. with drew by my side, everything felt possible.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

3pm

apparently drew and i had fallen asleep in each others arms. i was awoken to my phone ringing.

i groaned and slowly sat up, feeling a slight headache. i reached for my phone and saw that it was alexa calling. i hit the answer button and brought the phone to my ear, my voice groggy.

"hello?" i said, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

"hey girl." i heard alexa's voice on the other end, brimming with her signature energy.

i smiled, feeling a surge of happiness at hearing her voice. "alexa! it's so good to hear from you!" i said, my mind going back to the party. "are you okay? is this about last night?"

"me? i'm fine! better than ever...tuscany is beautiful." she said. "so anyway, hunter and i are walking around town and we're like where's the birthday girl."

i chuckled, feeling a sense of relief that she wasn't too shaken up from last night. "i'm glad you're okay. the birthday girl is still in bed fighting a massive headache." i said, looking over at drew who was now awake and on his phone.

"oh, girl. i bet drew is taking care of you." she said playfully.

i laughed, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. "you know he is." i replied with a grin. "we're just being lazy and laying around today."

there was a pause, then alexa spoke up again. "well when you have the energy to do things, how about we go grab something to eat? i've missed my best friend. and plus, food will be good for that headache."

my heart fluttered at her words. "i've also missed you! i would love to get food with you and hunter." i looked at drew, seeing him nod in agreement. "we can meet you in about an hour, will that work?"

"perfect!" alexa said, her excitement evident through the phone. "hunter and i will see you two at caffé gilli. bye!"

i said my goodbyes and ended the call, feeling a sense of excitement at the prospect of catching up with my best friend.

"so you'll be joining me to see hunter and alexa?" i asked, wanting confirmation.

he put his phone down and shook his head. "would you be okay if i passed? madelyn and chase want to hang out."

i recognized the names to be madelyn cline and chase stokes, his friends and coworkers on outerbanks. i smiled softly and nodded, which hurt. "of course."

he seemed surprised by my response. "you sure?" he asked, his eyes full of concern as he got up from bed.

i chuckled, feeling a surge of affection for him. "i'm a big girl drew. you don't need to spend every waking minute with me. go hang out with your friends."

a look of relief washed over his face at that. "thank you." he said, kissing me on the forehead. "i'll see you later tonight."

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

CAFFÉ GILLI
tuscany, italy
5:15pm

wearing a tan romper, chunky new balanced paired with my prada sunglasses i walked into the café and smiled as i spotted hunter and alexa seated towards the back.

hunter noticed me first, her eyes brightening with recognition. "azaria!" she exclaimed, quickly getting up to engulf me in a hug.

i hugged her back warmly, feeling a surge of friendship. "it's so good to see you!" i said, pulling away to take in her outfit. "you look incredible!"

alexa walked over and looked around. "i think we're missing someone." she said clearly referring to drew.

i shrugged sheepishly. "he was invited to see some friends...i figured he might as well. i've basically been his only friend this past month with filming, which has been fun but i let him branch out with other people today." i said, trying to play it off.

"boo." alexa said simply, rolling her eyes playfully. "you look good, per usual." she said as she pulled me into a hug.

"you look good too!" i said as i hugged her back, i pulled away to view her outfit. a black romper, prada sunglasses and a little bandana on her head. "we're matching."

she smirked. "great minds think alike." she said, clearly proud of herself. "what are your plans for tonight?"

i shrugged nonchalantly, not wanting to admit that i had nothing planned, just wanted to cuddle. "nothing, it'll be low key." i replied with a smile. "i have filming tomorrow, so i'm taking everything easy."

"smart." hunter said with a grin. "you need all the rest you can get after last night. are you okay?" her tone was gentle, i knew she was concerned about me.

i nodded, putting on a brave face. "i'm doing okay. honestly, i slept most of the day away so i'm feeling good right now." i said truthfully. alexa gave me a knowing look but didn't press the issue further.

i walked to the table they were previously sitting at and took a seat as the two girls followed.

"so what's new? we didn't really get a chance to talk last night." alexa said as she sat down across from hunter and i.

i sighed. "amo."

hunter laughed. "did you hear he went to jail?"

i sighed, feeling an all too familiar weight settle in my stomach at the mention of him. "yeah, he called me this morning and last night." i said, my voice tinged with sadness. "he's not doing well."

"of course he's not doing well, he's spiraling." alexa said with a scoff, clearly not impressed with him.

i looked down at the table, trying to find the words to defend him. "he's struggling, alexa."

"we all struggle babe." she said, not buying into my defense. she sat back in her chair with her arms crossed. "but i don't go out into the streets and get arrested."

i sighed. "i think he needs help."

"help or a reality check?" alexa asked.

hunter cut in with a gentle tone "maybe both."

alexa shrugged, clearly not caring much. "he's a big boy...one who's not your problem." she said looking at me.

i let out a deep breath. "i know." i said quietly. "i know it's not my problem. and i don't care for him in the way that i used to, but...i still care about him."

alexa raised an eyebrow but didn't respond.

hunter gave me a kind look. "it's okay to care, he's going through a lot."

i nodded, feeling grateful for hunter's understanding. "i know. i've just never seen him so...broken." i said, trying to find the right word. "i want to help."

alexa sighed, looking at me with a softer expression. "you want the best for everyone, azaria." she said, seeming to understand. "but you have to stop putting everyone else's needs before yours."

i felt a pang in my heart at her words. i knew she was right, i always put others before myself. it was a hard habit to break. "i know, i know." i said quietly. i looked down at the table, trying to process my thoughts.

i sighed and did what i did in any awkward moment, i looked at my phone. i scrolled through my instagram feed only to see drew.

~~

INSTAGRAM
celebsightings

liked by 102,291 others
celebsightings drew starkey seen enjoying a late lunch in tuscany with odessa azion and chase stokes. where's azaria?

view all 3,110 comments

user1 aren't him and odessa together?

user2 so he's cheating? got it.

user3 whatttt

~~

i sighed and read out the caption for the girls. "drew starkey seen enjoying a late lunch in tuscany with odessa azion and chase stokes. where's azaria?"

hunter raised her eyebrows. "i don't get it."

i shook my head, "drew said that he was going to lunch with chase and madelyn...he didn't say anything about odessa."

"and we don't like odessa." alexa added.

i sighed, feeling a pang of jealousy mixed with confusion. "i'm sure there's an explanation." i said, trying to reassure myself. "drew wouldn't keep anything from me."

alexa and hunter both gave me a look, clearly not convinced.

"c'mon let's eat." i said trying to change the subject.

~~

INSTAGRAM
celebsightings

liked by 324,191 others
celebsightings azaria parker, alexa demie and hunter schafer seen walking in tuscany, italy.

view all 3,430 comments

user1 great can they film euphoria's new season???

user2 my fav trio

user3 so she's not hanging out with drew rn??

~~

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

ROSEWOOD CASTIGLION DEL BOSCO
tuscany, italy
7pm

i walked into what was now drew and i's shared villa only to be met by drew and chase as they stood in the living room.

"hey," i said softly to catch their attention.

drew turned around, a surprised expression on his face. "azaria, hey. welcome back." he said.

"how was lunch?" i asked as i closed the front door and approached the pair.

he sighed. "it was good. i missed you." he said, pulling me into a hug.

i breathed in the smell of his familiar cologne, feeling a sense of comfort in his arms. but at the back of my mind, i couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

i kissed his cheek and turned to chase. "it's nice to meet you." i said with a small smile. "drew only ever speaks highly of you."

chase grinned. "the same for you. i've heard nothing but praise. it's awesome to finally put a face to the name." he said with a laugh.

i giggled, feeling a little flustered. i shook myself out of it, remembering that drew was right next to me. "i hope drew wasn't too much of a handful."

drew smirked, wrapping his arms around my waist. "i was good, i promise." he said, shooting a playful look at chase.

i smiled, but my mind was still racing. why had he lied to me?

"how's madelyn?" i questioned.

"she's good, a little jet lagged and tired after the party but good." chase replied with a smile.

i nodded and then a silence fell over the trio. finally i spoke up. "i...i think i'm going to head to bathroom and take a shower."

drew looked over at me and nodded. "alright." he leaned in to kiss me, but i turned my head at the last minute and his lips landed on my cheek.

"i promise i'll be gone by the time you get out." chase said jokingly.

"thanks chase." i replied with a forced smile. "but seriously take your time. it's good for drew to be with anyone but me, he's been stuck with me for so long now." i said referring to the lack of friends around while we filmed.

he chuckled. "i've heard how clingy he is."

"shut up." drew said, punching chase in the shoulder. "i'm not clingy."

i laughed softly before i walked off to the bathroom and closed the door, feeling a sense of relief at being alone. i took a deep breath and rested my hands on the edge of the sink, looking at myself in the mirror. my cheeks were flushed and my heart was racing. i knew i couldn't keep this in any longer, i had to confront drew about what happened with odessa.

~~

after getting out of the shower, i toweled off and slipped on some black shorts and a soft pink tank top, feeling more relaxed than i had all day. i dried my hair with the towel, taking the time to brush out the knots. i then took a moment to stare at myself in the mirror, feeling like i was finally seeing myself again.

once i was done, i walked out of the bathroom feeling refreshed and ready to face drew. i found him in the living room, sitting on the couch with his laptop.

"hey" i said softly.

he looked up and gave me a smile that was so sweet i almost forgot why i was upset with him. "hey." he said, closing the computer. "feeling better?"

i nodded and hesitantly came to sit next to him. "i actually wanted to talk to you." i said quietly.

drew looked at me with concern. "what is it?" he asked. "is everything okay?"

"chase is gone, right?" i asked.

he nodded, clearly confused. "yeah...what's wrong?"

i took a deep breath. i couldn't keep holding this in. "i'm just confused." i began. "why did you lie to me? about odessa, madelyn and all that?"

he sighed. "i don't know. i know you don't like her so i just thought that if you knew you'd be mad if you found out i went for lunch with her...so i just figured i might as well try and lie." he said.

i felt a wave of anger wash over me. "so you knew what you were doing was wrong? and you still did it?" i snapped.

"azaria, don't snap at me." he said, his voice raising. "i told you, i didn't think you'd like it."

i shook my head, feeling hurt. "so you thought lying to me was a better option?" i asked, my voice shaky. "how am i supposed to trust you if you can't even tell me things?"

he ran a hand through his hair. "i know, i'm sorry. i'll try harder i promise." he said, sounding frustrated.

i sighed, feeling defeated. "can you try and understand why that's so hard for me to believe?"

he was silent for a minute, processing my words.

"i know nothing about this girl besides the fact that she was all over you during paris fashion week and had it out for me even then." i said with a sigh. "is there history with her? or were you guys just the best of friends."

he shook his head. "there is no history between us, i told you that." he said firmly. "we've known each other for a while but we've never done anything. i promise you that."

i looked at him, noticing how sincere he seemed. i could tell this was important to him.

"did she ever have a crush on you or something?" i asked.

he nodded slowly. "i think she did...there were little things, like the way she'd flirt with me and always be hanging around me." he said.

i felt a pang of hurt in my chest, hearing him admit that he had known about her feelings for him.

"did you ever feel anything for her?" i asked quietly.

he hesitated. i knew the answer before he even spoke. "i may have...at points." he said, sounding ashamed. "but not anymore, not anymore." he repeated.

i felt a knot form in my stomach. "just...please tell me about these things, because having to find out on social media sucks."

he nodded. "i'm sorry." he said again. "i'm so sorry."

i looked at him, seeing the remorse in his eyes. i knew this conversation was difficult for both of us.

"so how do you feel about her now?" i asked finally.

he took a moment, thinking about his words carefully. "i care about her as a friend. we've gotten close over the years and she means a lot to me. but nothing more i promise." he said, sounding sincere.

i studied his face, trying to understand his emotions, which i ultimately found easy given that i care for my ex, amo, even though it's not on a romantic level.

"okay." i said gently.

he looked relieved. "really?" he asked, taking my hand.

i nodded, grateful that we were finally having an honest conversation about our feelings. "really." i replied.

he smiled and pulled me onto his lap. "i love you, you know that right?" he said, holding me close.

i nodded. "i know." i said quietly, resting my head on his shoulder. "i love you too."