Destiny or Coincidence?

Chapter 3

Athira Patel

I don't know for how much time I stood frozen on the spot until he started shaking my shoulders to bring me back from my thoughts. He was saying something from the expression on his face but I didn't listen to a word of what he said due to my shock. I concentrated on him to listen to what he was saying but couldn't grasp anything.

From far, he was good looking but from near I can see it clearly as sky. And god damn he is very handsome, dashing and hot with his 5'10 height and personality. It's hard to not check him out because my eyes are roaming everywhere on him.

"Sorry. What were you saying?" I asked him after composing myself and trying not to drool at his face.

He smiled knowingly and said "I was asking whether you are fine or not? Seems like you were lost in your world." he loosened his grip on my waist but didn't remove his hands completely. My skin is burning beneath his touch where his hands are placed. Again those strange tingles started to form in my stomach.

"I.. I am Sorry. I was... I was looking at the other side. I am fine. Thank you for saving me." I stammered while replying and need to concentrate on my breathing to look normal. It is a great task comparing how much effect he has on me.

I have seen many handsome boys and even spoke to them before. Hell, Even my friends are handsome. But don't know what is about this stranger that is attracting me towards him like a magnet. I am unable to resist my eyes from looking at him. I looked downwards in fear of getting caught of checking him out.

"It's ok. That's not a problem. Anyways, Hai, My name is Abhilash." He said leaving my waist and extending his hand towards me. Suddenly I felt very cold where his hands were once placed.

"Hai, I am Athira," I said catching his hand and shaking it. He smiled and shook my hand. His palm is rough and warm that I don't want to leave it.

"Athira..." he repeated my name. It sounded so sexy from his voice "it is a beautiful name as you" he said and lifted my hand towards his mouth and kissed the back of my hand while watching my expression.

I sucked in a breath due to the contact of his lips on my hand. My body felt hot suddenly and my breathing became uneven.

"Thank you," I said breathing heavily.

I need to get a grip on myself. This is not me, I won't go all dreamy when I see a handsome man like the other girls does. He will think that he can easily get to me since I am checking him out. I cannot give the satisfaction that he got to me. I breathed deeply and stood straight and smiled at him.

"I would have thanked you for your compliment if I didn't know that you were trying to flirt with me. But I guess that is not the case now." I said while retreating my hand from his hand and folding them below my chest.

He had a look of shock on his face listening to my words but recovered very soon and smirked.

"I didn't know that I was flirting with you, I thought I was helping you from falling down and was complimenting you for a beautiful name. But I must say even if I didn't flirt with you up to now, I want to do it now." he winked saying it "Because cutie pie who will miss the chance to talk with the beautiful girl? Only some idiot according to me. And I am not that idiot to miss the chance to talk with a beautiful girl like you " he was giving me that charming smile again which is making my heart flutter.

Damn his smile and damn his eyes. I started to blush due to his compliments. No one called me cutie-pie up to now.

I cleared my throat to hide my blush and faced him "Aren't you a charmer? I think every girl got flattered due to your charming skills right. But I am not like them. So don't waste your time to impress me. And I am not a cutie pie so don't call me that." I said sounding so confident. I didn't think that I would sound that confident but I am glad that my voice didn't show how affected I was because of his flirting.

"cutie pie you sound so confident of yourself. If you are that confident then I think there is no need to worry about you falling for me. We can talk to each other friendly. What do you say?" he said smiling and gesturing in between us to make a point of what he said.

I am totally confused now. I don't understand what he is implying at so I ask him what I am thinking "what do you mean by that?"

"Means for the rest of the night we can get to know each other and who knows we might like each other company that we want to become friends in the long term." He explained while looking straight into my eyes sounding serious at the same time genuine.

I don't know what to think of that.

"Why do you want to become friends with me? And how can you be so sure that we will like each other company? " I questioned looking as serious as him.

"Oh common. Give me some credit here. I am trying my best not to flirt with you and be a genuine guy. And you don't know until you talk. So why don't you spend this night with me and get to know about me?" He suggested.

"Sorry that sounded wrong. I mean to say that we will spend the night together in this pub until it's time for you to leave. Then we can decide if we want to have a long term friendship or not. Even if you don't want that, I know for sure that it will be worth spending some time with you and getting to know you. " he said smiling genuinely and was waiting for my answer.

I don't know what to think. He is right though. He is trying to be genuine and I need to give that credit to him. And he is also right that we won't know until we talk to them. Even some excited part of me wants to spend some time with him and get to know him, but my other major part is warning me not to talk with him.

But I think this time my curious part had won because even I want to get to know him. Don't want to be in a long term friendship with him but I can enjoy this one day getting to know him right. What harm would come from that? Then maybe this weird tingles will go away after this night.

So not giving much of a thought afraid of changing my suggestion, I said "Sure. That sounds good. We can spend the night and get to know each other" nodding at him in acceptance.

He gave that charming smile again and took a hold of my hand and dragged me to the far end of the booth. By the time we reached the booth most of the tables were empty and everyone is either at the bar or on the dance floor. Only very few of them are seated at the tables.

We took the Corner table and seated on the opposite sides facing each other. I hope that I won't regret this decision in future. 

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