DREW'S POV
"Time for another." I said to myself as I downed the last of what was in my beer bottle. "Anyone need another?" I asked the guys as I got up from the couch, each one of them shaking their head.
I headed over to the cooler where Chase kept the extra alcohol that didn't fit in their fridge. I tossed the empty bottle into the recycling trash can before opening the cooler and grabbing myself another one, twisting the top off and tossing the cap into a jar Mads had for her 'crafts'.
I took a sip of the cold beverage and sighed in satisfaction as I swallowed.
"Drew," I heard Chase say softly as he walked up to me. He then tossed his empty bottle into the trash where I threw mine. "I gotta ask, what's up with Mallory?" He asked me as he now leaned against the kitchen counter.
I took another sip of my beer before licking my lips and biting my bottom lip out of nervousness. I was hoping nobody would ask, but considering Chase was my best friend, I should've been prepared for it.
"She uh, she just moved here from Philadelphia, like three days ago. She has no friends or anyone here a-and uh, she got harassed out in public today." I told Chase. I didn't want to go into the depth that she told me, but I wanted him to know that I saw her as someone more than a random girl off the street. "I-I wanted to make her feel comfortable, I wanted her to make some friends. What better friends to be introduced to than you guys?"
Chase smiled as he shook his head. "Buddy, listen to yourself. You just brought a random girl off the street into my home. She knew who you were dude, she knew who we were. Of course she's gonna act innocent, 'cause then you'll feel bad and let her into your life." He explained to me and I immediately started shaking my head. "C'mon man, girls will do anything to get with a celebrity."
"No man," I shook my head. "She's different, I swear. I don't know what it is, b-but when she ran into me and I saw her for the first time, I-I felt something click." I tried to tell him. "I know it sounds crazy," I paused as I looked over at Mallory before looking back at Chase. "But something felt right."
Chase shook his head as he lightly chuckled before taking another sip of his beer. "When she uses you for fame, I don't want to hear it. Has she asked you to take a picture together yet? Post you on her snap or insta?"
"Huh?" I gawked at what he was saying. "W-What? No. She hasn't. I don't even think she's looked at her phone since we've been together." I told him.
"Alright," Chase shrugged. "I give it two days."
I rolled my eyes, annoyed at his stance on Mallory. As crazy as it seemed, I knew there was something special about her. I haven't been interested in anyone since my last relationship three years ago, but they say when you know, you know. And when Mallory ran into me, I knew.
"I'm gonna prove you wrong," I told him. "O-Okay listen to it like this." I thought of something that he'd be able to understand better. "You know when you're doing a really tough puzzle, and it takes you forever to finish it, right?" I asked to make sure he was following along and he nodded. "So you think you finish the puzzle but then you realize you're missing a piece. And you're looking everywhere for that piece. Days, weeks, even months go by and you still can't find that piece. Right? Then, just when you're about to give up, that piece comes out of no where a-and you put it in the spot it belongs and it just clicks. That," I stated. "That is exactly what she feels like."
Chase raised his eyebrows as he took a sip of his beer. "So she's your missing puzzle piece? Is that it?"
"Yeah dude." I nodded. "I swear to God."
"Alright." Chase surrendered as he threw his hands up. "I mean, I know what you're talking about, I felt that way with Mads when we first met, but I was also a nobody who drove a '99 Corolla with $52 in my bank account." Chase chuckled.
"I'm gonna prove you wrong." I told him. "I don't wanna rush anything, this is gonna take time. But it's gonna be special when it happens. I can feel it."
"Okay Shakespeare," Chase sighed as he held onto my shoulder. "Let's go challenge your missing puzzle piece to beer pong."
**********
MALLORY'S POV
Music played throughout the apartment, some songs I recognized from the soundtrack of the show. I enjoyed the vibe of this group of friends so much. We had just finished one last round of beer pong, Maddie and I versus Austin and JD. Maddie and I won for the third time in a row, shocking everyone else around us.
Rudy and his girlfriend had left a few minutes prior and Maddie and her girlfriend, Mariah, were getting ready to head out. It was now approaching ten o'clock at night, and I couldn't believe I spent almost seven hours hanging out with the cast of Outer Banks.
Though I was having a great time, and it felt good to let loose and enjoy myself around great people and music, I was getting tired considering I was still on eastern time.
I couldn't help but yawn as I went to go and throw away my empty Truly can, that I lost count of, into the overflowing trash can of recyclables.
"Tired?" Drew chuckled as he was throwing away a beer bottle as well.
I nodded in response as I looked up at him. "Still on eastern time." I told him.
"That's right." He smiled. I couldn't help but smile up at him. He was so beautiful. Drew cleared his throat before scratching the back of his head, his smile quickly fading. "W-Want me to uh," He stammered. "Want me to take you home?"
I cocked my eyebrow in confusion. How was he going to take me home? He was certainly sober compared to earlier in the night, but I still didn't know what he meant. Though I was now terrified to go home by myself, I hadn't even thought about getting back to my place until now. "U-Um," I started as I tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear. "Y-Yeah sure, uh, h-how-"
"I only live three floors up. My car's in the garage." He answered my question without me even asking it. "Are you comfortable with me taking you home?" Drew asked me softly.
I couldn't help but smile at his soft words. He was too cute. "If you wouldn't mind," I looked up at him with puppy dog eyes. "I'd really appreciate that."
Drew cracked a smile as he sent me a small nod. "Yo!" He called out to the rest of the group that was still around. "We're outta here." He announced as he dug into the pocket of his light blue denim jeans, making sure he had everything he needed.
"Byeee!" Mads exclaimed as she ran up to me and engulfed me into an enormous hug. She was definitely drunk, but I couldn't blame her since this was in fact her and Chase's place. "Oh my gosh, it was so nice to meet you!" She emphasized.
"I loved meeting you guys." I told her with a smile on my face as we pulled away from the hug.
"Please get home safe!" She demanded as she placed each hand on my shoulders. "Please text me when you get home."
"I will." I nodded.
"And if I find out anything, I'll let you know. Might be tomorrow, but I'll still let you know." She grinned and I nodded my head knowing exactly what she was talking about.
Drew and I said our goodbyes to the rest of the group before we exited the apartment. I couldn't help but smile at the night that I had. Never in a million years did I expect something like this would happen to me.
I looked down at Drew's hand next to mine and held onto it. I pulled his hand up to my chest and now both of my hands were holding onto his as we walked down the hallway. Drew looked down at me in confusion as I smiled up at him, still tipsy from our night.
"Thank you so much, Drew." I giggled.
"For what?" He questioned with a small laugh.
"Inviting me to hang out with you and your friends." I told him as if it were obvious. "Oh! And buying me a drink earlier." I giggled, remembering our encounter from earlier that afternoon.
"I told you, Mal," Drew started as we approached the elevator. He said my name so softly, it sent immediate butterflies throughout my stomach. "You're my friend now." He chuckled as we entered the elevator, my hands still holding onto his. He pressed the button for the garage before he looked down at me. I looked up at him with a soft smile. "You'll be safe with me." He whispered.
I couldn't help but smile. I had no idea what to say. I had no idea how to feel. Being with Drew in this moment, standing this close to him and even holding his hand didn't feel real.
"You have cool friends." I said after a long pause between us. I couldn't help but look up at him in admiration. I didn't know if it was the alcohol in my system or my previous love for him or both, but looking up at him made me want to make out with his beautiful face.
Drew chuckled as he shook his head. "Yeah," He shrugged as he looked down at me. "They're alright." The elevator now dinged before it opened and Drew and I exited, I was still holding his hand. "Speaking of," He spoke as we headed into the parking garage. "What were you and Mads talking about? Before we left?" He asked me.
I looked up at him in confusion, not recalling what he was talking about. "We just said bye." I told him.
"After that."
I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion trying to remember our conversation before we headed out. Suddenly, it clicked, and I knew what he was talking about. "Ohh," I nodded to myself. "That was nothing."
Drew chuckled again, and I could tell he wasn't buying what I told him. "It was something." He said as we now approached a black Range Rover.
"Just girl stuff." I told him as he unlocked the beautiful car before opening the passenger door for me.
I eagerly hopped in, admiring the interior of such a luxury car. My dream growing up was to own a black Range Rover, and here I was, riding shot gun in one.
Drew closed the door after I got in and he walked around the to the driver's side before getting in and starting up the car. "You girls and your stuff." He chuckled, regarding what I had just told him. "What's your address?" He asked me as he now went on his phone.
I gave him my address before pulling my phone out of my pocket and looking at it for the first time all night. Drew plugged in the address of my apartment building as I went through my phone since I hadn't checked it all night. "Drew," I said softly, breaking the silence between us. He looked up at me from his phone showing me he was paying attention. "Can we take a selfie?" I asked him hesitantly. I had been dying to take a picture with him the entire time I was with him, but I felt it was too awkward, especially in front of his friends.
I noticed Drew's facial features change. His mouth gaped open a small bit and his eyebrows were raised. I didn't know what to make of that reaction.
"U-Uh, y-yeah," He nodded. "Sure."
I smiled as I opened my camera app and Drew and I leaned in towards each other. I snapped a couple pictures with the flash before I put my phone down and began looking through the pictures.
"A-Are you gonna post them anywhere?" He asked me softly.
I looked up at him and immediately shook my head. That wasn't my intention at all. "No," I told him. "I'm keeping these for myself, so when I wake up in the morning and think that this was all a dream, these pictures will be in my phone to tell me that tonight really happened." I explained and I saw his face soften with a small smile.
"It really happened." Drew spoke as he put his car in reverse and began to back out of his parking spot.
Again, I couldn't help but smile at Drew's words. As he drove throughout the garage and out to the city, I noticed he placed his hand out on the console of the vehicle. I looked down at his hand, then looked up at him, and back at his hand. I wanted to hold onto his hand, but I didn't want to just grab it when that wasn't what he wanted.
"You can hold it if you want." Drew said as he looked over at me before turning his attention back to the road, again, answering my question without me even asking it.
I held onto his hand, our fingers interlocking with each other. I looked up at him and smiled before I saw him crack a smile as well. He glanced over at me again for a second and I swear I felt instant butterflies swarm throughout my body again.
I couldn't believe it. I ran into Drew Starkey on the street, grabbed a drink with him, hung out with him and his friends all day, and now he was driving me home. I was sitting shot gun in his car, holding his hand.
I was waiting to wake up from this reality that seemed too good to be true.
*****
a/n:
how do we feel about this chapter? how do we like drew's pov? do we agree with chase?
i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! sorry if it was kinda long. i'll be releasing chapters 4 & 5 later today. they'll be kinda short but they're a continuation of each other so it just makes sense.
thank you for 50+ reads!! i appreciate you guys reading this
-nicole<3