The night of the cast party was loud and bright until it wasn’t. Music spilled from every corner, laughter echoing through the hallways of the hotel. She had come because Drew had begged her to, claiming it would be fun, promising he would not leave her side.

For a while he didn’t. Drew was magnetic, telling stories, flashing that grin that made everyone laugh. She had stood beside him, sipping her drink, letting the warmth of his presence steady her nerves. But then the music grew louder, people pushed closer, and she excused herself for air.

That was how she ended up in the elevator with him again. He had followed, hands shoved in his pockets, that quiet look in his eyes that only appeared when the crowd was too much. They barely had time to press the button before the lights flickered, the sound of metal groaning, and everything went black.

The party noise was gone, muffled by the walls. Emergency lights glowed dim and red, throwing shadows across Drew’s sharp features. For a long moment neither of them moved.

“Well,” he said, his voice soft in the stillness, “guess it’s just us.”

Her laugh was nervous, breaking through the silence. “Figures. You had to follow me.”

“I wasn’t letting you run off alone,” he admitted. “I know how you get.”

Something about the way he said it made her heart beat faster. He knew her too well. Every shift of her mood, every excuse she made to hide when the spotlight became too bright. Drew always noticed.

Minutes stretched into something heavier. They slid down against the wall, shoulders brushing, the quiet surrounding them like a secret. He tapped his fingers against his knee, restless, before sighing.

“I shouldn’t say this,” he muttered.

“Say what?”

“That I like you more than I should.” His laugh was low, almost bitter. “I’ve been trying to play it cool. Friends, right? But stuck in here, no one watching… it feels like I should stop pretending.”

Her breath caught. The shadows made his eyes impossible to read, but his voice was raw, stripped of the playful edges.

She whispered, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you look at me like I’m just Drew. The guy you can joke with, lean on, forget about when the lights turn back on. I didn’t want to ruin that.”

Silence stretched again, thick with everything unspoken. Her hand found his in the dark, tentative, but once their fingers laced he held on like he had been waiting forever.

“I never forgot about you,” she admitted. “I think I was just too scared to see you differently. But maybe I already did.”

The elevator creaked, a reminder that the world outside still existed, but inside it felt like they had fallen into their own universe. Drew’s thumb brushed over her knuckles, grounding her.

“You’re serious?” he asked, almost disbelieving.

“Yes,” she breathed, tilting her head toward him. The dim red light caught the edge of his smile before he leaned in.

The kiss was slow, careful at first, then deeper as if he had been holding back for years. His hand cupped her cheek, hers tangled in the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer. The darkness no longer felt suffocating. It felt like cover, like permission.

When the elevator jolted and the lights returned, they pulled apart, breathless, eyes wide. Reality rushed back in, but nothing between them was the same. Drew grinned, a little sheepish but determined.

“Guess the secret’s out,” he said.

She laughed, cheeks burning, but she didn’t let go of his hand. For once, she was glad the lights had gone out.

Because when they came back on, she finally saw him clearly.

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