Lips Do Lie

Chapter 3 - Confined Encounters

I knew these 4 days were going to be extremely difficult and edgy for me. May be I was just panicking for nothing but there was a part in me that was constantly sending me strange kind of signals. It was hard to decide if I was I happy to see him or intimidated by his presence. I could not deny that all these months I had wondered about him and now that he was suddenly in front of me I didn't know how to react. I think I was a little elated about the fact that he remembered me or should I say our kiss but again the sane part in me was warning to be any closer to him. While we walked our way to the airbus Navya blabbered incessantly and I just pretended to listen with my mind completely occupied by his thoughts just when my attention was pierced with a sudden voice. Manik appeared in front of us like a ghost and I literally gasped out of breath

"Heyya gals hi I am Manik Malhotra..I just thought of getting to know each other a little more personally apart from the formal introduction that we had a while back", he extended his hand with a wide glee to Navya and she happily responded.

"Hi I am Navya Naveli Suri from Ludhiana...I know it is better that we all become friends especially now that we are together for 15 days and you never know this small interaction can actually lead us to a lifelong friendship ...what say Nandini", she dashed her shoulder against me to get a response as I was busy admiring my footwear or the floor underneath or for that matter anything that could make me avoid him.

"Yeah rite!!", I replied somewhat reluctantly

"Hi", now it was my turn for him to shake hands with.

"Hello", I replied softly sliding my hand slightly into his to acknowledge.

I really didn't want to make a fuss especially with Navya around. I surely didn't want her to get any wrong ideas about us so I responded to his gesture. But before I could retrieve my hand his grasp tightened and quite indifferently without paying much attention to me he continued talking to Navya about the least important things. I tried my best to release my hand and the more I tried the tighter he grabbed it, it was obvious that the smirk on his face was not customary to his conversation with Navya it was more for me.

"Can I please have my hand back?", he had left me with no choice but say it openly.

"Oh sorry!! I didn't realize", he immediately left me pretending to be sorry.

Thankfully Cabir who was also his friend called on him from a distance and he rushed to join him. I looked at his direction and he looked back to meet my eyes and the moment our eyes met he winked at me with the naughty smile reappearing on his face. I pursed my lips and withdrew my gaze at him. Shit!!What is this guy up to?

"Do you guys know each other??", Navya asked doubtfully as she saw us actually him exchanging looks, smiles and winks.

The only escape being pretence. I tried to look and sound as innocent and oblivious as possible, "Who??"

"Arey this guy...Manik..I mean the way you guys were looking at each other...", she raised her neck like a duck to catch any hint that I might give.

"What nonsense I have never met him before not even in a washroom", my face became a big fat O at my own stupidity.

"WASHROOM??", Navya was having a hard time in deciphering my language, thankfully though. The last thing that I would want in this trip was people prying on me.

"Arey Navya you say na what you were saying..that guy in your college..pretty interesting", I tried to divert her and was successful as well, as she immediately stopped her interrogation and continued with her talks.

We followed the rest of the team at slow pace. I tried keeping as much distance as possible from him. We boarded the flight and we were directed to our seats by the air hostesses around. We all were a group and exchanged our seats as per our convenience. The girl Mukti sat with her husband ahead of us and the others also settled nearby. Navya and I sat together, she cribbed for the window seat and I let her occupying the other one next to her. If we did it as per our convenience then how it was possible Manik wouldn't do it according to his. He took his seat beside Cabir in the adjacent row leveling it with mine. The plane took off; it was roughly a 1 hour 15 minutes flight. I sat back and tried to relax but not quite. I was sure he was still peering at me.