Plugging in the headphones, I edged closer to the bike and looked at my watch. Late. Again. And this time by more than fifteen minutes. She knows. She knows that I hated waiting Especially there. People would stare like I was one of those random boys mothers warn their daughters about. A woman walks past, and looks at me suspiciously. I stare back at her, hoping that my stare conveys what I'm thinking, not every guy standing on a lonely road is going to make a pass at any woman walking by.


I text her again. "twooooo mins" she says. For the tenth time. Really,I think, this girl just takes me for granted! The number of times I have told her to not keep me waiting because it is the ONE thing I hate! And all she can do is stick out her tongue at me like it didn't matter to her. Like I din't matter. 


But not this time, I think fiercely. This time I'm going to tell her in no uncertain terms that i do not like to be kept waiting on pavements and freezing myself to death while strange women throw me murderous glances.


Ten more minutes, and still no sign of her.


"Look, I think I'll just leave" I text her! "My god, just give me ten seconds...i'm almost there! Honest!" 


Sigh. that means ten more minutes, at least, just me and my angry thoughts, wondering just WHAT it is about this girl that makes me want to protect her, and scream bloody murder, all at the same time.


And that's when I see her, looking happy as hell, not a care that a man was kept waiting, jumping out of an auto; she laughs at something the auto driver says to her and then hands him the money! "bye uncle!" she waves as he starts counting the money.She walks up to where I'm standing. Smiling apologetically and looking up at me with those beseeching eyes. And I cant help myself. My anger is slipping away,even as I try hard to hold on to it.. And i laugh. "What??" she says. Exactly, I'm thinking, just WHAT?


As she's getting on to my bike, the auto driver whizzes past, looking at her and smiling. And then, he looks at me. In the moment that it takes for that look to pass I know what's running on his mind. Yes. I know. That's MY girl.