Roller coaster
6:00 a.m. is too early for me. I could never wake up that early. People understand that at work. Since I’m the boss I let them wake up at 7:00 a.m. It’s a sunny morning. Quite warm too. 78 degrees and its only 7:30 a.m.. New York is a hastle. Especially in the summer when no cabs are ever around and everybody is walking and getting in my way. But a lot of times they know me. They had seen me before and heard of me. Apparently they think I’m some type of famous figure. I’m the same as them, they just don’t realize.
Finally. A cab. I have been waiting for one for 20 minutes. I get in and it smells so good. It smells like flowers. It’s one of those scents that make you feel like you are somewhere else. The cab driver is around my age. Maybe 2 years older. He is very good looking and dressed nicely too. I wonder what a guy like him is doing driving a cab. “Where are we headed?” he says. He talks with a pleasant ring. “56th liberty street please.” I was so hungry my stomach’s voice was almost louder than my own voice.
“How about some food for you? You sound hungry and people are at their best when they eat breakfast.” He was so kind. “I guess.” “Okay. Well where shall we eat Miss Jones?” He knew my name...How?
Oh yeah. I guess a lot of people know me now a days. “ You know my name! And we?” “Well if I said I wasn’t hungry I’d be lying just like I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t seen you before.”
Was he trying to make a move? I don’t know but if he was trying, then it was working. There was something about his bright blue eyes and his strawberry blond hair that could make someone melt. He had freckles on his nose, high cheek bones and and a perfect jawline. Any girl would drool if he saw him.
Except me. I kept my head up and my cheeks weren’t cherry red. I also kept my head on my work and drool was not dripping out the side of my mouth like I had just spit out my water. He looked in the mirror at me once every few minutes. It was like he was studying me. I had never been studied before.
Soon we came up to a restaurant called The Grey Dog’s Coffee. It was quaint and busy. It was a very popular place, I had heard. My work mates always got me stuff from there so I knew it was good. The cab driver parked and opened up the door for me. He had manners too! He opened up the door in a jokingly way as if he was my personal driver all the time. I laughed and he smiled. The kind of smile that makes you smile and feel warm inside.
We walked inside the restaurant and I saw something. More like someone. There she was. I hated her so much. Michelle Kelly was her name, and let me tell you, she was the definition of a crazy, psycho, horrifyingly mean person. I would know this because we went to highschool together. Her life goal back then was to destroy me. I have no idea why. Maybe because I was just as good as her, at everything. We dressed the same and thought the same. We had the same grades and all the guys liked both of us. But she thought there could only be one. And that one would be her, no matter the circumstances. So she did everything in her power to make me less than her. But it never worked because I had many tricks up my sleeve.
She noticed me and gave me a fake smile. She then noticed my cab driver and then looked at me again, this time with the look of competition and smartness in her eyes. Oh boy, here it comes again. She will try to get my cab driver so she can prove a point. But I didn’t care. I mean no doubt my cab driver was very attractive and gentleman like, but I promised myself no boys until I could get my magazine skyrocketing. So, she could have him for all I care.
“Oh. My. Gosh! Izzy Jones is that you?! I haven’t seen you in years!” she said with a tone that made her sound like she could be the head cheerleader of a major sports team. That or a really quirky business woman who has had one too many coffees and stayed up for a few days straight. She looked good. She was just as skinny as me, as always. Her teeth were pearly white and perfectly straight, even though she never did have braces, like me. She was wearing a Lily Pulitzer sun dress that went to her knees and was covered in bright patterns and colors. I loved it. Maybe because I had the same exact dress in my closet at home. Her purse was Tori Burch which is one of my favorite designers, and her pumps were pink with a strap over the toe and another strap around the ankle. My favorite style of pumps. When I said that we were alike, I meant identical.
“Michelle! It’s so good to see you! You look fantastic as always.” I said with my voice in an annoyed, sarcastic tone which she didn’t notice because she is used to hearing her voice always sounding like that. She gave me a light hug with a pat on the back and pulled away as fast as she could without looking too rude. She smiled and her eyes immediately went to my cab driver. Now her look was divide and conquer, and by divide I mean get him as far away from me as possible. Which surprisingly wasn’t possible!
James. James Hathaway was my cab drivers name And he was interested by me. He couldn’t take his eyes off of me when I was talking. Which was most of the time. But Michelle was the same about him. But in a competitive way. So of course she ate with us and he was fine with it even though he knew what she was doing. So he didn’t really look at her. Only occasionally and just a sneer. He knew that I didn’t like her so he was doing it for me.
“So, James, where are you from?” said Michelle with her smile of satan. She has her hand under her chin and seems to have leaned forward a little. Probably to show off cleavage that she doesn’t nor will ever have.
“California. But I was born in Oregon. My family moved to California when I was 2 years old.”.Then he looked at me again. An instant spark was growing between us. The sun came through the windows and shined on his face. He glowed. And my breath was taken away. He was beautiful. But it wasn’t just because he looked gorgeous. I had known him for about an hour and I could already tell that I wanted to be friends with him. Maybe even more, when and if I get my life together. Friends for now was perfect.
Michelle seemed to see this look in my eyes and started to move a little, as if she were uncomfortable. She then put her hand on his hand that was sitting on the table. “Would you like to go to the grand opening of the new movie theatre with me? I have no one to go with and it wouldn’t be fun all alone.” she spoke in her puppy voice and made a little pouty face to go along with it. I rolled my eyes because she was easily the most annoying person I have ever known.
“I’m sorry Michelle!” James surprised me with his answer. “Izzy and I had already made plans to go! But maybe next time.” I was even more surprised by this statement. He turned to face me next. “Didn’t we?” he winked with a little grin. “Oh and look at that time! I guess we need to just stop at the bakery here instead. It was so nice meeting you Michelle!” and with saying that he pulled me up out of my seat, grabbed my hand, and led me to the Grey Dog’s Coffee bakery. I looked back to see what Michelle’s facial expression was and it was speechless.
“What was that?!”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean why were...how did...I mea-”
“You mean why did I just save both of our brains and leave Michelle before her annoyingness killed any more brain cells than it already did?”
“Haha yeah I guess that is what I mean”
“Well it is pretty self explanatory isn’t it?”
“Yeah I guess. Nice save with ‘we had plans’ thing”
“Well I wasn’t actually lying about that. I do really want to take you.”
“Well, luckily for you I don’t have other plans. I would love to go with you.”
“I will pick you up tomorrow at 5pm then!”
“But the grand opening is on Saturday?!”
“Well then I guess this is just the before party. Be ready!”
And just like that, he got in his taxi and left. I stood there for a second shocked and happy. I met a guy, in one day, out of the blue, who I might actually fall for. Well, this should be a roller coaster.