A Ride to Remember
Everything about her was a lie.
I smile as I recall the sequence of events leading up to this discovery.
It was pretty late when I finished work. By the time I packed my stuff and went down, my Uber was already waiting.
“Otp please,” the driver requested.
I immediately looked up. Surprised. The driver looked like every other Uber driver, dressed in a loose shirt and pants, clean shaven with a pixie cut. What was different however was the voice, it was a girl’s voice. I didn’t realise I was gaping at her, until she cleared her throat.
“Sir,” she repeated, this time slightly irritated.
I apologised and gave her the otp. I couldn’t help but stare at her. She was beautiful, it almost felt like she was trying to uglify herself. She caught me staring at her from the rearview mirror and scowled. She looked down at the dashboard of her car.
My eyes followed hers and I saw a picture of hers hugging a well-built cop. She, herself, looked pretty strong.
“My husband,” she said when she noticed me staring.
I nodded, somehow feeling conscious.
“How safe is this work?” I asked her, hoping that I didn’t sound like a creep.
“Having a cop husband has its perks.” She smiled. “Always on speed dial.”
“Also, I have practised at my dad’s akhara* all my childhood. He was a national level player. I would have played the nationals too but I lost interest after my dad’s demise. I have defeated the current national champion multiple times,” she added haughtily.
“Why do you drive?” I was genuinely curious.
“Boredom,” she replied nonchalantly.
I nodded and looked out the window.
“I am in your area honey. Just thought I will say a hi,” she began speaking on her phone.
I wanted to point out it’s unsafe, but I didn't dare, knowing who the person on the other end was. Instead, I checked her name on the Uber app, Lucy.
BANG! I heard the sound of a bullet being fired. I instantly looked up to see a man firing at a car, hardly a few metres away from us. Before I could react, Lucy took a sharp turn onto a lane to our right, the meter reading 80km/hr.
“Stop, please. I feel dizzy,” I shouted, almost throwing up. “Why did you hang up? Shouldn’t you have told your husband? He is nearby right?”
Lucy stopped the car. She clutched onto the steering wheel, her hands shivering. I could almost hear her deep breaths. Our eyes met, in an instant the tough exterior crumbled, revealing a helpless girl. I could see the fear in her eyes as she realised her facade was shattered, she looked vulnerable. My eyes shot down at the picture, the photoshop mistakes, now glaring at me.
“I have to do what it takes to protect myself from..” she couldn’t continue.
My heart went out to that girl right there, right then.