The Campus Mall

Chapter 4: An Unexpected Meeting

The concert was amazing. Sophie felt warm and fuzzy all over as Drake sang to her. She didn't move, only sang along and pretended no one else was there. He was performing for her, and no one else. Sophie knew it. He winked at her, right? Or was it in her head? Could Angela be right?

No, it had to be her. He dedicated his performance to a "special gal." He ran up to her window only hours before the concert. They had EYE sex, only the most devotional kind of sex. Only true lovers can have eye sex. 

"Sophie? You good? You have a dumb look on your face." Sophie snaps back to attention and looks at Tim. He was simply their ride, but he liked to think he was something more. A friend? A romantic interest? Angela and Sophie did not know, but they also did not care. He was their ride, and nothing more. 

"Yeah, she's good. Probably disappointed by Drake at the concert," Angela teased. 

Sophie half-smiled, trying to hide her internal conflict. "Oh yeah. Most disappointing moment of my life."

The girls laughed and Tim stood there, confused as per usual. "Wanna go to HaHa, that convenience store down the road?"

"Do you only think about food?" Angela asked. 

"And you," he winks. 

The three of them hop into his purple spray-painted Toyota Corolla, ready for an adventure. 

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HaHa was pretty much dead. It was near midnight, and no one was there but cops and bad parents, and now college students. The officers eyed up Tim, Angela, and Sophie, but they mean no harm. They were just hungry. 

They ordered their food and drinks on the tablets and stood around waiting. Sophie had so much on her mind that Angela and Tim did most of the talking. All Sophie could think about was Drake. She questioned as to whether he truly loved her or not. Would they ever meet again? Did she miss her chance?

The lights began to flicker, all the systems shutting down. They stood in the dark, at a loss for what would happen to their food. There was no longer a sense of time or space. Only darkness, and the smell of cheese. 

The doors flew open, and the light from someone's headlights highlights the entrance. That's when he walks in. 

There he stood, Drake Bell, in his black turtle neck sweater and skinny jeans, fastened with a Gucci belt. A lock of his hair fell into his face, and he walked with his hands in his pockets. 

Sophie stood there, like a deer (in headlights, but you should be paying enough attention to know she is already in headlights). She hid behind her friends, Tim and Angela, as he walked in further. 

Drake paused by the counter and looked around. "So who turned out the lights? I wanted a post-concert chicken parm sub, as I usually get. Can I not get that here?"

Oh my gosh. I ordered a chicken parm sub. We're practically the same person. 

Angela drops her cup of coffee on the floor at the sight of Drake Bell. He quickly turns to find who made the noise. Their eyes met and she gasped. Drake froze in his tracks and stared. "It's you."

Sophie nods, intimidated but excited. "I-It's me."

Drake slowly saunters over to where Sophie, Tim, and Angela stood. Tim and Angela quickly slip out of the way, starstruck. "You" he points at Sophie, so close that her nose is just barely out of reach, "What is your name? Mine is Drake Bell."

"M-my name is Sophie."

"Sophie. I like that name. It suits you."

Sophie blushes in response. She gushes at the thought that her and Drake could be something special. "You ran after me. You sat outside my window for hours. Why?"

"I just thought we should talk. You know, get a little wetter."

Sophie covers her heart with both hands. I knew this would happen. It was only a matter of time. 

Angela steps forward, timid but still kind of bitchy. "So are you gonna introduce us to your little friend, Soph?"

Sophie blushes and steps closer to her friends. "This is T-tim. He is my ride. This is Angela. She is my r-r-roommate."

Drake does the finger guns in Sophie's direction and quotes Bine. "And they were roommates!" 

Angela rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. "So is Josh with you? Does he ever talk about me?" 

Drake cocks his head to one side like a dog. "Josh is with his family. He doesn't follow me to college campuses. You know him?"

Angela sighs and turns away, pain in her eyes. Sophie wishes she knew why. 

The power flickers back on, illuminating the scene before them. Sophie, Tim, and Angela's food and drinks are ready. 

"I-I guess we should go. Come on guys." 

Drake grabs Sophie's wrist and stares into her soul. "I need to see you again."

Angela calls for Sophie to leave, waiting at the door with Tim. "Come on, Soph. It's time to go."

Sophie looks down at her feet, conflicted. Is it too soon? Should she pull away?

"We will meet again. I'll make sure of it."

Drake grabs his food and saunters out, winking at her as he pulls away. Sophie bites her lip and gets into Tim's car. So this is love.