'It's a deal', he said with a horrible, smirky smile.

Her heart beat a little faster.

'I am going to just harmlessly look at you, while you go about your tasks. I will do nothing but look at you. Trust me, milady, I will not move an inch from this spot'

She gulped, but could not chicken out now. 'Deal', she whispered. He was the most trustworthy liar she had ever come across.

Jay stood there, rooted to the spot, smirky smile in place, just watching her.

Amaya's hands trembled. With her chin in the air, she went towards the kitchen. His eyes were boring into her back, she could feel them. She nearly dropped the sugar.

Whistling! She would whistle, to pretend a nonchalance she did not feel. Men whistled when they wanted to sound cool. She opened her mouth to whistle. A feeble, weird sound came out. He was laughing at her now, his loud guffaws filling the room.

But, he had not moved, and he was still looking at her.

She walked around a little aimlessly, wiping an imaginary speck of dust off the chairs and sat down at the little love seat. She put her feet up and casually picked up a book. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see that he was still watching her. Damn ! She was holding the book upside down.

He was laughing so hard now, holding his stomach... Horrible man.

She walked up to him bravely, and looking him in the eye, hissed ' You win'.

She was in the kitchen now, acutely aware that he had followed her. He was tantalizingly close and she could feel his warm breath on her bare neck.The devil was behind her.

" Ever heard of a coffee hug ?", he asked.

" What's that ? ", she whispered stepping back.

" It is the hug that happens when someone is making a coffee and the other comes and hugs from behind just because there is a sudden rush of love looking at that person first thing in the morning in that particular mood, lighting, moment. A coffee hug can be slow like a cat stirring, sudden from the back or fitting curve to curve as you smell the coffee. The consequences are many. The coffee could be forgotten. The coffee could be shared. The coffee could spill...", he trailed off grinning.

" I am having tea today." She said.

" Coward !", he laughed.

" Ever heard of a tea hug ?", he started.

  She ran.

- Srividya Srinivasan