Undercover

Chapter 1

NEW YORK CITY

PRESENT DAY

6:30 am

All passengers travelling to Meraki on Alpha Airways Flight #1812, please have your boarding passes and passports ready for boarding. Flight #1812 now boarding at gate 21.

"Well I guess that is my call to go then. It was nice meeting you Sam. Trust me, I had a wonderful time here. You should try coming to Meraki sometimes, so that I can show you around too", I told and wiggled my eyebrows at him.

He chuckled.

"I bet that you wouldn't be good at showing around as me though", he said with a playful wink.

I punched him on the arm and stuck my tongue at him.

"Well, why don't you try me 'Mr. I'm-so-good-at-everything", I snorted and rolled my eyes.

"Oooh someone's jealous! No worries babe. I can always teach you some of my tactics", he stuck his tongue out, swaying it from left to right while making his eye balls disappear, leaving the whites of his eyes in display.

"Wow look at you, acting all matured!", I told him with sarcasm dripping from my voice.

He placed a hand over his chest and rubbed it, feigning a pained expression.

"Ouch I'm hurt!", he wailed in an over dramatic voice.

I raised my hands in surrender and smirked.

"What I was just stating facts!"

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the final boarding call for....

"Oops! I should get going now. I'll miss you! Bye Sam", I said, giving him a hug.

He embraced me with a bone crushing grip, making me choke and gasp for air.

"Bye Em", he whispered into my ear, not letting me go.

"You are choking me you dim-wit!", I opened my mouth to give him a piece of my mind but unfortunately an insensible sound escaped my lips instead. It was somewhere in between a growl and a slurp.

The grip around my ribs loosened immediately.

Oxygen came gushing into my lungs as I took huge gulps of air, relishing the feeling of breathing after a long time.

"Sorry", he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

I shot him a playful glare and started walking away.

"Take care!", he shouted as I hurried with my bag towards the boarding aisle.

I turned back and waved at him and then disappeared from his view with a one last glance over my shoulder.

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"That way ma'am", the air hostess replied with a fake smile.

"Thank you", I nodded and shot her a genuine smile.

Today I'm travelling by plane for the first time, i.e if you don't consider my 'to' journey from Meraki. And GUESS WHAT? I was able to book a window seat online in the business class! YEPPIE!!

Who can blame me for being on cloud nine right?

The happy dance that I was mentally performing in my head came to an abrupt stop and the corners of my lips which were constantly tipping upwards came down like a deflating balloon as I took in the scene before me.