Disclaimer: Characters are Stephenie's. But we all just mess with them a little.
AN/ This is written for the ever amazing Pkitten. I adore her constant support. I hope you enjoy baby. It has been months and months since I have written a thing, so I hope it's decent.
The rain poured down on a crisp New York day. The streets were bustling with people in raincoats, carrying an assortment of multicolored umbrellas. A sea of bobbing and scurrying, sloshy slopes.
Those are the best and worst days to be a taxi driver.
I watched the sheets of water smear my windshield as people on every inch of the sidewalk shouted and waved at me.
My passenger at the time wanted to be taken to the The Plaza.
Rich son of a bitch.
I pulled up to let him out and found myself in the middle of flashing lights, lots of screaming, and an abundance of pushing.
He gave me a puzzled look, paid me, and shoved his way out of my vehicle.
Before I knew it, there were people with cameras surrounding me and my cab.
Men in suits were trying to push away the crowd, and teenage girls were pounding on my car.
In the midst of all this I failed to notice the girl who had crawled into my backseat, her knees drawn up to her chin, and her hair sopping wet.
"Uh, where to, miss?" I looked at her in the rearview mirror.
Her eyes slowly glided up to meet mine. There was mascara running down her rosy cheeks, and her lips were blue from the cold.
"Anywhere but here, please. If you could just drive around, money isn't an issue. Really, just get me out of here."
The sophistication shined out of her. Though it seemed forced, not that it wasn't pure, but expected.
"Sure thing." I nodded into the mirror and slowly started to pull away. It was a good thing that my cab had automatic locks. Normally it annoyed me having to push the buttons all the time, but it wasn't every day that my cab got mauled by the paparazzi and crazed teenagers. Had it not locked, we would have had unwelcome company.
I had to take it slow so as not to run over anyone as I pulled away from the curb, and there were people that followed us for a good mile on foot before giving up.
When the coast was clear I gave her a look, and saw her gazing out the window, wiping at her eyes.
"Can I ask what that was all about, miss? And are you alright?" I was genuinely concerned, and really curious if I was being honest.
She reacted with a momentarily puzzled look. "I'm never able to get away is all."
Her answer wasn't really much of an answer at all. "Right... I'm Edward, by the way."
I continued to drive through the city, where I knew no one would follow. It was a rougher side of town, and I knew it well.
"Isabella-- er... Bella, Bella Swan." Her faced flushed and I saw the worry dampen her eyes more.
Ah, yes. I knew the girl looked familiar, just not quite the same in person as she looks on the big screen.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Swan."
I peeked to see her smile from the back seat. I drove silently to a park I knew well, on the outskirts of town. There, no one would bother her. That was my territory, people didn't pay attention to the glam, just their own lives.
She stepped out, and walked to the slide. She was cute, ducking under the tiny playground equipment as she climbed. Her head ducked, and she giggled as she let loose and slid down the slide. I watched, leaning against my cab.
It was still raining, though it had let up as we got further from town. Just a slight drizzle, and her damp hair flew wet around her and she spun under the clouds.
Around and around she went, hands outstretched, "I never get to just get away!" she screamed out, inhaling the freedom that soared through the fresh park air.
I scrubbed my face, adoring her bliss.
She ran to me, and I shifted my feet.
She hugged me, and asked me to take her home.
We drove. Her eyes filled with something I couldn't possibly understand. When I pulled up to her house, she came around to my door.
"Sometimes the white knight shows up in a yellow cab, and all the girls miss him. I guess I was the lucky one." She bit her lip and I chuckled.
As she reached into her pocket to pay me, I simply said, "Don't worry about it Miss Swan, it's on me."
Her soft lips brushed mine, and she strode up her front steps.
As she disappeared behind her million dollar door, I blinked, and shifted my car back into gear.
The clouds started to part, and the sky lit up with an array of stars, too perfect to describe, and I wondered to myself, if I would ever see that beautiful girl again.