Plain Jane #Wattys2015

Rainy Days

My unruly, frizzy, curly red hair flew in my face, the New York wind and rain swirling around me angrily, whipping my umbrella back and forth uncontrollably.

"Jane!" I heard a familiar high pitched voice yell, Mandy.

"Mandy." I smiled a forced smile through clenched teeth, turning towards her.

"What are you doing out here, they said its going to be a horrible storm, the worse we've gotten in a while!" She exclaims. Her Barney's coat flaps in the wind and her blonde hair was sticking to her face in tuffs. I couldn't understand how she looked a mess, but still looked perfect. I had a splatter of freckles across my face, she had a perfect complexion, I was too short for my own good, and she was tall and model like, I was a nervous, clumsy mess all the time and she was cool and collected. It wasn't fair really.

"Yes well you see, I was late at work and they closed down the office early and so my ride left and they locked me in and so I had to take the fire exit, and I slipped down the stairs-" But I looked up in the midst of my babbling and Mandy was across down the street flirting with some man in a biker jacket. "And now I have no ride." I finished quietly. No taxi services were running right now and if they were they must have been on their way home because every time I tried to flag one down, they kept on speeding, probably driving faster.

I looked up at the dark sky, it was only five o'clock and it looked to be about midnight, the sidewalks weren't busy except for a couple of people running to their cars and the usual stragglers trying to walk home as fast as they could. I wouldn't even expect a mugger to be out here in this weather.

I walked a little farther down the sidewalk and stopped, looking around for any sort of cafe that could be open right now, but they all seemed to be closed down. Damn New York weather. A taxi raced by, splashing in a deep muddy puddle and soaking me to the bone, plastering my hair to my face and blowing my umbrella away.

"Argh! You have got to be freaking kidding me!" I screamed in frustration. Another car came racing down the street and I prepared for the impact of cold water again, but instead I cracked open one eye as an expensive looking car stopped next to the curb. It had darkened windows that were now being rolled down. My heart started beating faster and I looked around for possible escape routes, but I just accepted my fate of being kidnapped, because there was no way I was getting down the cobblestone alley to my right, in these heels. I could barely walk in them let alone run down a cobblestone alleyway, curse Darren for making me wear these.

"You look like you need a ride." Says a man who I could not see from where I was standing.

"Actually I'm perfectly okay standing here and freezing." I reply, smacking my lips together and rocking on my heels.

The man was out of his car lighting fast and I squeezed my eyes shut, preparing for him to grab me and shove me in the back of his car.

"I don't offer rides to just any crazy looking red head on the side of the New York street, and I won't ask again, and I certainly won't stand here in the freezing rain waiting for your answer, so I suggest you get in the car and tell me your address so we can both get home." The man demands. I open both of my eyes as wide as they can go and glare up at him. But the witty retort I had come up with in my head left my brain as soon as I met his dark brooding eyes and saw his chiseled jaw and dark hair.

"I-I-I should probably- that would- yeah that sounds- I'll just get in the car." I stammer. Way too go Jane, act like a complete idiot in front of the hottest creature you've ever seen in your life.

"I don't understand your impossible stuttering so I would get in the car and shut your mouth before you further embarrass yourself." He says, walking back towards the drivers seat of his car. I follow quickly after him my blueberry colored heels making fast clicking sounds on the wet pavement. I slid into his car and shut the sleek black door behind me.