Today was finally the day of the Outer Banks Fan Event 2026. You had waited for this day for months. The moment the tickets were released, you bought one, and somehow you managed to get one of the VIP tickets which made it possible to meet the actors backstage.

Yesterday, you had arrived at your hotel and could barely sleep, buzzing with excitement. You spent hours imagining meeting the actors backstage, but there was one actor you were most excited to see.

Drew Starkey.

He had been your favourite actor for years, and you had watched every movie and show he was in. It wasn’t just his looks — though he was good-looking — you admired his acting, how he threw himself into every role, and how he came across on camera. You always imagined Drew as kind and caring, even though you didn’t know him personally.

You got ready in your hotel room — straightened your hair, put on a little makeup, and wore blue wide-leg jeans with a white blouse, finished with some Adidas sneakers and your favourite jewellery — casual but elegant.

Your Uber picked you up at the hotel and drove you to the event. When you arrived, you felt even more excited and happy to be there. There were tons of people at the entrance, but VIP ticket holders had a separate line. You showed your ticket, and just like that, you were inside the VIP area.

The event started, and the actors gave speeches, thanking everyone for coming to support them. You already took pictures with actors like Fiona Palomo and Austin North.

After about two hours, the moment finally came — the moment when fans with VIP tickets could go backstage and meet the Outer Banks cast.

But just as security tried to guide you, it happened — the moment you had feared most. People around you shouted the actors’ names, and even though there weren’t many, they were pushing and shoving.

At that point, you froze. Your body refused to move forward. You could feel your heart racing, your breath becoming short and rapid.

The next thing you noticed was the sound of a big door closing. This was the door to the room where the actors had been sitting and were now talking to their friends.

You had just missed the moment you had waited months for, overwhelmed by social anxiety and the panic caused by the crowd. You were angry at yourself — just like always.

Tears blurred your vision as you hurried down the hallway into the open room. Luckily, there was a couch, and you sank onto it, burying your face in your hands. You didn’t want to cry, but you couldn’t stop.

Time passed. You didn’t know if only five minutes or an hour had gone by since you had entered that room because you were caught in your thoughts.

That was until you heard a door opening and closing and footsteps.

“Hello? Oh, uh, what are you doin—” his words stopped when he saw your tear-streaked face. “Hey… are you okay?”

There he was. Drew Starkey. You wanted to say something but no words came out. That was when he handed you a bottle of water and opened it.

“Here, drink that, you’ll feel better then,” he said gently and quietly.

You took a few sips of water, which helped you calm down a bit. Then Drew crouched in front of you, keeping a respectful distance.

“You want to tell me what happened?” he asked.

You nodded. “My social anxiety just got to me when all those people were so close around me.”

He looked at you like he knew exactly what you were talking about. He understood you, and for a moment, it felt like you weren’t alone anymore.

He suddenly started talking about random things, probably to distract you from what had just happened. And it worked — during the conversation, you forgot everything else, and probably time too, since you didn’t know how long you had been talking.

When you decided it was time to go, even though you didn’t want to, he guided you outside.

“Hey, uhm, if your social anxiety gets to you again, call me,” he said, handing you a piece of paper with some numbers on it. “Or if you just want to talk… if you want?”