" Ethan, can I exchange seats with you please ??", Grace asked leaning forward on her seat.
" Why ?", Gavin instantly asked while Michael widened his eyes.
" Ahmm...I better like that side.", She replied.
" Sure..", I said and quickly stood up from my chair.
Soon I was sitting beside Michael, comfortably leaning against the seat. And Grace was beside Milan.
" Shit ! ", I heard Gavin murmur lowly whilst fisting his hands.
" Just exchange your seat with Milan.", I murmured to Gavin.
" No..she surely don't want to sit near me.", Gavin said in an unpleasant tone. " I was watching. She was ignoring me whole day.", he grumbled.
" Oh..C'mon..it's not that.", I mumbled to him.
" No..It's okay Ethan. I'm Good. Let's watch the movie.", he said pointing at the screen. The movie was beginning. I ruffled my hair not knowing what to do about the both of them.
But anyway, soon I tilted my head to Michael. He was staring intently at the big screen in front of us.
" Hey Milan..can we exchange seats ?", I heard Grace ask after a moment.
" Oh..?? Will you first decide which seat you actually want ?", he asked her.
" Ahh C'mon...this is the last time.", She laughed at him
" Okay..", he nodded and they both exchanged seats, much to Gavin's pleasure.
" Ahhm..I just wanted to sit on left..", Grace said awkwardly to Gavin.
" My left ??", he raised an eyebrow at her. Grace didn't reply anything. I heard him chuckle at her before turning his face to the screen and smiling to himself.
The movie progressed. But I wasn't exactly watching the movie. Though I tried to watch for the first few minutes, I found I couldn't do it while Michael was sitting beside me. It is so much exciting to stare at him than watching the movie.
But Michael had his gaze straight on the screen and his hands crossed over his chest. So no chance for me to hold his hands. I guess he purposefully crossed his hands.
I was feeling the strong urge to hold his hands again. So I took the popcorn bucket Gavin was holding and stretched it to Michael.
" Here..have this.", I told him.
" Uhm..no thanks.", he shook his head without moving his hands from the position or taking his eyes away from the screen. Now what to do ?
" Pepsi ??", I asked.
" Ahmm...no.", He said. I was starting to feel frustrated.
" Why are you sitting like that ? Is it actually comfortable ?", I asked.
" Yeah..v..very comfortable.", he replied.
Ahhh...I sighed and averted my attention back to the screen after taking some popcorn from the bucket and giving it back to Gavin.
After sometime I got a really weird idea. I pretended like sleeping and slowly started leaning against Michael's shoulder. He shivered as my head suddenly rested on his shoulder. Michael didn't utter anything on respond to me. I couldn't help but smile and then inhale his scent deep into my nostrils. I opened my eyes a little and saw him again involuntarily biting down on his bottom lip. His legs were also trembling vigorously. He was really nervous.
Suddenly he tilted his head and I quickly closed my eyes. He slowly un crossed his hands and I thought he was going to push me away. But the next second he actually wrapped his hands around my shoulder and held the side of my head. My heart skipped a beat.
Soon his fingers were playing in my hair and my heart was thudding like crazy against my chest. I felt the strong urge to open my eyes and see whether he was looking at me. But I felt nervous. I didn't open my eyes. I continued to rest my head on his shoulder, pretending asleep. He continued to play with my hair, the blunt tip of his finger nails softly brushing against my scalp, causing tingle to erupt inside my stomach. I was feeling strange emotions.
Never felt like this with a girl.
Never felt like this with anyone.
" Hey..! You came to sleep?", Suddenly Gavin yelled into my ear whilst shaking me. Michael quickly took his hands away from my shoulder.
" Oh..I..I fell asleep ?", I mused and sat upright while Gavin frowned at me. I just held my face straight and pretended watching the movie.
Once Gavin turned his gaze back to the screen, I grabbed Michael's hands which were now resting on his thighs. His hands trembled as I intertwined our fingers.
" E..Ethan..what's going on ?", Michael asked me.
" What's going on ? You also fell asleep like me ? Hmm...anyway let's watch the rest and try to assume the story.", I said.
He was silent after that. He didn't try to squirm out his hands from my grip. His palm was warm and soft to my touch.
We held our hands comfortably for a long time until an intimate scene started on the screen. The actor and actress were passionately kissing each other. I tilted my head and saw Michael had his lips pressed together nervously. His gaze was low, staring at his thighs.
I tilted my head to my left and saw Gavin and Grace staring at each others eyes. Woah ! They've already reached there ??
Then I tilted my head further side ways to see a lot of couple I had previously noticed making out in the seats. I averted my gaze to the front. Sure enough same thing. And the couple on the screen are kissing hungrily now.
I turned my head back to Michael. This time, probably on feeling my gaze on him, he tilted his face to me. And we were soon staring deep into each other's eyes, as if looking for enlightenment. His chocolate brown eyes were soft and filled with strange emotions. Something like a mixed feeling of sadness, awe and nervousness. Sadness dominated. He was making me upset with that look. I want to wipe it away from his eyes.
My eyes then involuntarily travelled to his soft pink plump lips. It looked so soft. I bet it would taste really sweet.
" Ethan ! "
Michael uttered in shock.
Only then I realized I was leaning closer to him whilst looking at his lips.
" Sorry..", I uttered and turned my head in the opposite direction, my heart knocking against my ribs like crazy. Michael harshly yanked his hands and I let it free.
" What's happening Ethan ?", he uttered.
" I- I'm sorry.", this time it was me who stammered. I could literally hear the heavy pounding of my heart in my ears.
We didn't talk after that. And I didn't turn my face and look at him again. We didn't look at each other even after the movie ended. Nor we talked a word to each other while we walked out of the theatre. And in the car, I was in the passenger seat. Gavin and Grace were talking and laughing in the backseat along with an utterly silent Michael.
When we reached hostel, Gavin helped Michael and Grace climb the wall. Michael wasn't an expert at wall climbing.
And then we parted ways to our dorms without exchanging a single word between each other.
Damn ! I really fucked up.