The dim lights cast a solemn mood over the room filled with actors and actresses. You couldn’t help but shake the feeling of nervousness, even though the awards had ended hours ago. You hadn’t been nominated for anything, just invited to present the SAG Award for Female Actor in a Drama Series. It had been a long day of getting used to the spotlight, the flashing cameras, and the endless greetings from people you only vaguely recognized. After the presentation, you had retreated backstage for a brief moment, but now here you were, sitting at one of the leather couches, trying to process the whirlwind of it all.

The laughter and conversations of people around you filled the air as the after-party went on, but you felt strangely distant, sipping your martini, the burn of alcohol crawling down your throat. The strong scent of it lingered on your nose as you took another sip, your mind trying to slow down. You knew you probably should be socializing, but after everything, you needed a moment to breathe. You looked around, taking in the sea of familiar faces, all of them lost in their own world, deep in conversation or sharing laughter, but you felt like an outsider in that crowd.

Suddenly, a tap on your shoulder pulled you from your thoughts. A tall guy with a buzzcut and icy blue eyes, the kind that seemed to glimmer in the low light. Drew Starkey, you realized with a bit of a start. You'd seen him in Outer Banks, of course. You had crossed paths a few times at events, but you’d never really had the chance to talk.

Drew flashed a smile at you, the kind that was effortlessly charming, like he knew exactly how to make someone feel at ease. You couldn’t help but return a smile, the initial nerve dissipating a little. "Sorry, is this seat taken?" he asked, his voice smooth with just the right amount of warmth as he tilted his head toward the empty space beside you on the couch.