How my Uber driver became my soulmate

I’ve never been the kind of person who believed in love at first sight. Growing up, I thought soulmates were just another made-up concept by romance novelists or cheesy rom-coms. Sure, I enjoyed watching love stories on the screen, but they felt distant, like something that only happened to characters played by Emma Stone or Julia Roberts—not to regular people like me. Little did I know that one Friday afternoon, when I was running late for a friend’s engagement party, my world would change entirely.It all started with an Uber ride.I was running late—again. My best friend, Lizzy, was throwing an engagement party with her fiancé, and I had promised I’d be there early to help set up. Of course, "early" meant thirty minutes late by my standards. I ran out the door, balancing on one heel, with my other shoe still in hand, clutching my phone. There was no way I was going to drive. Parking downtown was a nightmare, and I didn’t trust my parallel parking skills under pressure. So, I did what any sane person would do. I ordered an Uber.The app told me my driver would be there in five minutes. Plenty of time, I thought, to fix my hair in the reflection of my phone. As I twisted my messy bun into something more presentable, I noticed the driver’s name pop up: Daniel. A simple name. One that didn’t give away too much. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. All I cared about was that he had a five-star rating, so I felt safe.A black sedan pulled up in front of my apartment building. “I hope this guy knows a shortcut,” I muttered under my breath as I climbed in, tossing my bag onto the seat beside me. I didn’t even look at him as I buckled my seatbelt. “Hi, Daniel. Can we take the quickest route? I’m kind of in a rush.”Then I finally glanced up at the rearview mirror—and I froze.There was something about his eyes. They were warm, a shade of hazel that seemed to reflect gold when the sunlight hit them just right. He had a smile that was both comforting and mischievous, like he knew something I didn’t.“Of course,” he said with a slight chuckle. “I know a few good shortcuts. Don't worry.”His voice was calm and rich, the kind of voice that made you feel like everything was going to be okay. For a split second, I forgot I was late. I blinked a few times and then mentally slapped myself. What was I doing? Getting all flustered over an Uber driver? Get it together, Claire.We drove for a few blocks in silence, and I tried my hardest to focus on something else—anything else—besides how cute this guy was. I opened Instagram on my phone and started scrolling mindlessly, but I could feel his eyes on me every now and then in the rearview mirror. Finally, he broke the silence.“So, engagement party, huh?” he asked.I glanced up, surprised. “How did you know?”He grinned. “Your dress.” He gestured to my knee-length floral dress. “You look like you’re dressed for something special. Either that or you just have really great fashion sense.”I laughed. “Oh, this old thing?” I tugged at the hem of my dress playfully. “It’s nothing. But yeah, engagement party. My best friend’s getting married.”“Nice,” he said. “Weddings are always fun. Do you know what you’re getting her as a gift?”I groaned. “Ugh, don’t remind me. I’m terrible at gifts. I was just going to give her cash.”“Classy,” he teased.“Hey, cash is practical,” I shot back, pretending to be offended. “It’s not like anyone complains when they get money.”“True,” he said with a laugh. And just like that, we fell into an easy conversation. We talked about everything—my job as a freelance writer, his recent decision to drive for Uber full-time while working on his photography business, our mutual love of good coffee, and our hatred for small talk.Before I knew it, we had arrived at the venue. I checked the time and realized we’d made it in record time, despite the traffic. As I reached for my bag, I hesitated.“Thank you,” I said, not really wanting to get out of the car. “For the ride and the conversation.”He smiled again—that same, warm smile that had caught me off guard earlier. “It was my pleasure, Claire. I hope the party’s a blast.”I stepped out of the car, but before I could close the door, I leaned back in. “Hey, Daniel?”“Yeah?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.“Do you have a business card? You know, for your photography,” I added quickly, hoping I didn’t sound too eager.His smile widened as he reached into the glove compartment and handed me a simple card with his name, number, and a link to his photography portfolio.“Call me if you ever need a photographer,” he said. “Or another ride.”I took the card, feeling the corners of my mouth lift into a smile of my own. “I will.”The party was a blur after that. All I could think about was Daniel—his smile, his laugh, and the way he’d made me feel like I’d known him for years, even though we had just met.The next day, I did something totally out of character for me: I texted him. Just a simple, “Hey, thanks again for the ride. Hope your day is going well!”To my surprise, he responded almost immediately. From there, we kept talking—first casually, then more frequently. Coffee dates turned into long walks in the park, which eventually turned into late-night phone calls where we shared our dreams and fears with each other.It wasn’t long before I realized that Daniel wasn’t just some random Uber driver. He was kind, funny, and thoughtful. More importantly, he was someone I could be myself around without fear of judgment. Every time we were together, it felt easy, like we’d known each other in another lifetime.Fast forward a year, and here we are—together, happier than ever. Who would’ve thought that the universe would play matchmaker with an Uber ride?So yeah, I guess soulmates do exist. And sometimes, they come into your life when you least expect it—like when you’re running late for an engagement party and hop into an Uber driven by the love of your life.