Protecting the Royal Idiot

Protecting the Royal Idiot - Chapter 3

I noticed I have this thing for names starting with J's in my story. O.o

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Chapter 3

"Watch it!" I snapped as some guy crashed into me. He just pushed right past me, and I scoffed. Who the hell does he think he is? I was about to reach out and grab his collar, but I remembered that was the whole reason I was here. Breathe, Jenna, breathe. I pulled back my hand and stuffed it in my jacket pocket. I hauled my luggage off the giant conveyor belt when it came into sight.

I put my backpack over my shoulder before taking the rest of my suitcases in my hands. I followed the crowd to the exit. I could see bright sunshine and blue sky outside. I just couldn't see anything else because everyone around me was taller than me. Maybe it's a British thing. I made my way to the double exit doors.

"Enjoy your stay," an old woman said, handing me a few brochures. I smiled briefly at her before walking outside. I tossed each brochure over my shoulder, one by one. Suggested Tourist Itinerary. Blah. Suggested Tourist Hotels. Blah. Suggested Tourist Shops. Blah... again. Geez, does everything start with Suggested Tourist here? I mean, they couldn't have been more creative with their brochure titles?

I tossed away some more Suggested Tourist brochures, until I reached the last one. Hughes Military School. Instead of just tossing that one to the side, I groaned loudly and crumpled it up. I decided to keep it in my backpack. Never know when I might need the stupid thing.

I strode around the city, trying to get a taxi. The thing is, there wasn't a single yellow cab in sight. I groaned again and unzipped my bookbag. I uncrumpled the brochure of the military school I'm going to attend. I put my foot up on a bench and smoothed out the brochure on my thigh. I skimmed through it to find an address. When I found it, I folded it up and stuck it in my pocket. I decided to try my luck with the taxis again.

"Taxi!" I shouted, throwing my hand into the air. I watched the taxi screech to a halt in the middle of the street. I saw the driver look at me, and then turn the steering wheel 360 degrees. The cab pulled up to the curb. The driver leaned over to the passenger door and pushed it open for me. I forgot that it's on the opposite side here. I got inside.

"Nice driving," I muttered, throwing all my stuff into the back seat. The driver was watching me with a raised eyebrow. "Not from here, I suppose," he sighed. I frowned at him. He had dirty blonde hair and green eyes. Most of his hair was covered by his little driver's cap.

"Is there a problem with that?" I said curiously. The driver glanced at me, blinking his green eyes. He looked back at the road and shrugged. He put on sunglasses. "I'm not exactly fond of tourists," he said. I rolled my eyes.

"So why are you driving a taxi, idiot?" I said, crossing my arms. He groaned and gripped the steering wheel. "It's temporary. Now just tell me where you have to go," he said. I pulled the brochure out of my pocket and pushed it toward him. He smirked. "Been a bad girl?" I felt like slapping him, but I restrained myself.

"Not your business," I said steadily. He chuckled to himself and put the brochure on his dashboard. I rolled my eyes as he drove onto the main road.

"So what's your name?" he asked suddenly. I had no witty, mean, snappy retort to that, so I just said, "Jenna." He held his hand out to the side and said, "Horrible to meet you." He cracked a half-smile as I pushed his hand away. I glanced up at his face. I swear, he looks a year older than me at most. I frowned.

"Are you even old enough to be driving this taxi?" I asked him. He pulled his wallet out of his pocket. He flipped it open and showed his driver's license to me. "I've been old enough since last year," he said smugly. I put my chin in my hand and rested my elbow against the door.

"Where are you from?" the driver asked. My eyebrows knitted together and I looked at him. Can't he tell where I'm from? Like from the way I talk?

"America, smarty. That's like asking a viking where he's from," I said. He grimaced. "Ouch. That hurt," he said. Well, duh. "It was supposed to," I replied. There were a few more moments of silence before it was broken.

"So you're not really the nicest person," the driver chuckled. I rolled my eyes, and he smirked. "What's new?" I said.

"So you realize you're not nice. At all," he said. He still had that annoying smirk on his face. I pressed my lips in annoyance.

"I do. That's why I'm here," I said, making sure my tone let him know he's obnoxious. But he just kept talking... blah blah blah.

"That's why you're here? For being mean?" he said in amusement. I shook my head and put a strand of hair behind my ear.

"And much worse," I said flatly. His eyebrow shot up and he grinned at me.

"But you're an oompa-loompa," he laughed. I felt myself flush.

"Yeah, I'm only five feet tall. So what?" I snapped. He chuckled again.

"Just try to act the way you do at Hughes. They'll eat you alive," he said in an amused tone. I raised my eyebrows and stared at him. "You're acting like it's prison," I said. He shrugged. "Not far from it," he said. Just then, the military school itself came into sight. He drove the taxi up to the curb.

"And how would you know what it's like in there?" I said smugly. He just shrugged again. "Driver's intuition?" I got out of the car and stepped onto the sidewalk. I hauled my stuff out of the back. He handed me my backpack, along with a little white card. I held it up with a bored expression. "Really? I thought your taxi career was temporary."

"You know you want it," he said with a smirk. He got back into the taxi and started driving away. He stuck his hand out the window and waved. I just shook my head and looked down at his business card.

Ryan Adams, taxi driver

Under his name was his cellphone number. I shook my head again and tossed it onto the street. I started walking toward the huge gates to the military school. I was about to press the button on the speaker, when I glanced back at the business card on the street. I sighed.

I jogged to the street and stuffed the tiny card in my pocket.