Navy Taxi by Kate Nash
Rain spat in my face, thanks a lot mate
And I lost a tenner on the way
Thinking about it, did I spend it last night
When I was drunk and I wanted to get more drunk
Missed the train, thanks a lot mate
I didn't want to be late today, cause I'm always late
And I really hate always being late
And now the other train is delayed... great.
Carrying bags and a navy taxi man said
"Take your time love
'Cause you don't have to rush
'Cause it's your life and it's no one else's, sweetheart
Don't let someone put you in a box."
So I take all that other stuff that I said before
And I'm gonna make it work
'Cause I'm losing my mind and it's driving me up the wall
So I tried to help you carry your shopping
But I wasn't concentrating, I was talking
And I got it caught on the side of this thing and it split
And I'd try to help you walk along but I'd probably end up pushing you over
But don't worry, I'll never let you fall
And I'm stubborn and I shout and I'll cut you out
And I'll make you feel like I never wanted to make you feel
And I'm stubborn and I shout and I'll cut you out
And I'll make you feel like I never wanted to make you feel
Carrying bags and a navy taxi man said
"Take your time love
'Cause you don't have to rush
'Cause it's your life and it's no one else's, sweetheart.
Don't let someone put you in a box."
So I take all that other stuff that I said before
And I'm gonna make it work
Because I'm losing my mind and it's driving me up the wall
And this time, it will be different,
This time, it will be different
Chapter 1: Damnit
"DON'T follow me!" she yelled as she heard urgent footsteps behind her. She didn't bother looking around to see if he had stopped, simply hoping that he had gotten the message at last. For a second she heard nothing. Then…
"Meredith."
Okay, maybe he was more thick-skulled than she had imagined. Meredith took a deep breath and put up the façade, she had had to work on since she was born. After calmly pushing the elevator button, she slowly turned around to face his panting face. He seemed to shrink under her chilly glance.
"Yes?" Meredith simply asked, cold indifference evident in her voice. Hell no, if she would ever break in front of him.
"I…" he muttered, clearly taken aback by her lack of interest-attitude. "Meredith…"
The elevator announced its presence with a little noise. Meredith gave him one last look before turning her back to him, careful not to show her face as she entered the elevator; he was not supposed to see the lone tear that was now making its way down her cheek.
How did it come to this?
Was it her? Had she not been the perfect girlfriend, always presentable and picturesque, never in a mood, never without a white smile on her face? Had she ever put any of her burdens on him, had she ever been too busy or too tired for him?
No, Meredith had been the perfect girlfriend. And yet, something had gone wrong, something had failed. She had failed.
Lost in thoughts, Meredith stepped out of the elevator and out on the street. The misty, damp weather kept the streets of New York less walked than usual; the characteristic, yellow cabs flying by.
Meredith had never minded the rain; right now it seemed rather useful to her as it mingled with her own tears.
The phone she was clutching in her hand per habit let out a shrill tone. Automatically, she held it up to her ear.
"Hello?" she asked, her voice husky and swollen in a way. She closed her eyes and moved her free hand to massage her forehead as she heard who was on the other side.
"Meredith?" a penetrating voice asked. "Where the hell are you?"
"Mother," Meredith greeted her, working to at least keep her voice cool and professional like it usually was; she couldn't even begin to pull the rest together. Ellis had many talents but after all, she couldn't see her through the phone. "What are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about!" Ellis shrieked. Meredith ransacked her brain to figure it out, but all she could find was a massive black hole in her memory. "The gala, Meredith, the gala!"
Shit, Meredith thought to herself and looked at the clock. She was 15 minutes late.
"So where are you?"
"I'm coming!" Meredith quickly assured her, taking a deep breath, looking down at her soaked jeans-top-and-heels ensemble. "I just need to go home and change…"
"Change?" Ellis asked, sourly. "Meredith, what the hell have you been doing?"
"Just give me," Meredith thought for a second, "20 minutes."
"You have 5," Ellis snorted. Just before she hung up, she added, "We need to get some photos together."
Ah the photos, Meredith thought with strain. Sometimes she wondered if that was all her famous mother lived for, the photos, the galas.
Meredith reached for her purse to put away her phone. Only it wasn't there.
"Damnit!" she yelled, lifting her face to the sky, letting the raindrops drench her.
There was only one place she could have left it and she sure as hell wasn't going back up there; surely, he still had the girl in there since she hadn't seen her come down. Lying, cheating bastard…
Meredith sat down on the sidewalk and hid her face in her hands. She needed to get out of there before the two of them came out of the building behind her.
A car came to a halt right in front of her. She glanced up when she heard the window scroll down and stared into a pair of beautiful blue eyes.
"Need some help?"