BEYOND THE CLOUDS (Completed)

Chapter 11

She emerged out of the galley after sometime, for a routine round and found everyone in the same state she had left them in.

Three sleeping gentleman and one wide awake and staring into his laptop.

As Shehnaaz walked past him, his head shot to her as if he wanted to talk something.

Her nerves were terribly antsy but it was her job.

She stood close to him, awaiting patiently for him to speak.

“I am sorry I over stepped my mark, but I don’t seem to have any self control when it comes to you Shehnaaz” his gaze was intense again, but his words and apology seemed genuine.

She felt her shoulders relax a bit. “I wouldnt say its all right, because trespassing is not at all cool” she chided him as he raised his hands offering peace. “I don’t know what made you do what you did, but I am not one of those flight attendants, who entertain wealthy businessman out of work.” Her voice was stern, but cracked at the end.

“Hey, please don’t get me wrong. I have no such intention, nor am I regularly persuasive. But I feel strangely attracted to you, from the first time I have seen your picture at your house.” Sidharth had stood up by now, and was running his hands thru his hair.

This wasn’t where he had imagined a conversation

“That was probably not the first time you saw me” she said with a dead pan expression, while he crossed his brows thinking.

“U and me shared the same proximity we share now, at Captain Malhotra’s party.” She wiggled a finger between them.

His face scowled more in confusion “I was standing at the bar, and I guess you were standing right next to me.

Your cologne was heady and instantly registered in my mind. I recognized it again when you got into my car” she said and his mind travelled  back to the party again.

The delicious display of skin he saw at the party was the first one to hit him.

The same height, the same body frame.

“Did you wear anything backless by any chance?” he asked, marveling at the coincidence again.

“Yes a black sequined saree and the blouse was backless” her reply hadn’t even come out properly when he held his hand and marched to the galley, dragging her behind him as if she was a thing rather than a person.  

He let go of her once they were back in the confined galley and stood facing her, maintaining a safe distance between them.

“You said you aren’t into dating? May I ask why?” he asked curtly.

“Because I don’t like being asked questions?” she replied as curtly

“Questions like?” he asked again. She drew a sigh and looked at him.

Like Kartik had said, she had to face this sometime, so why not start now.

“Questions about my past” she turned her face away from his burning gaze.

Sidharth ws a bit taken aback by her answer, but his mind reasoned with him.

He had a dark past too, which he wouldn’t want to open up to anyone. Not even her.

“Fair enough. I assure you that from my side there will be none asked and I expect the same from you” in his head, he mulled over it even as he spoke the words.

She seemed to be lost in deep thoughts, when the dominant tone was back again.

“So all doubts settled now, giving you enough time to catch up on your sleep, I will send the car tomorrow by 2.00 pm. Lets have lunch” without even waiting for her reply, he sauntered out of the galley and perched himself back on his seat.