Friendly or Flirtatious

You walk across to my table or I walk past you our eyes lock and I give a gentle smile that says hello and the next thing I get is a smile that comes come over. Being my usual amiable self, I giggle and move along. That was a complete stranger and I exchanged the facial gestures and body language appropriate for strangers.

Most of the time the encounter ends on good terms, the next time we see each other, be it in a bank queue or in an isle at our favourite grocery store, we greet and possibly exchange a few laughs and a hug. It ends there; no award conversations which mask a desire to move into the not so platonic space.
However, there are those moments that random brief encounters are used as reference and supporting points as to the supposed flirtation the other person thinks is happening between the two of us. The encounter in the parking lots in the mall is now seen as a perfect place to exchange digits. That's when "I'd like to know you better" and " You can't deny the chemistry between us" come in. You are left dazed and amazed by these worlds. I smile and hug most if not all my friends but why is this soul thinking that it's me being flirtatious.
Blushing and shocked, I walk away back to my existence where there is nothing wrong with being courteous and warm towards people and they don't think it's an invitation to starting something.

A few weeks later you meet again but this time things aren't so rosey. You are met with hostile look or even worse you are accused of playing hard to get and of being a shameless flirt or more intense a tease. Before you attached such a label on me did you ever stop to think that I'm just being friendly and if I were to be flirtatious you would know.

The world is a strange place where being a genuinely nice person is seen as others as a socially accepted cover for lack of a better word being: down right nasty. I guess some people aren't used to being showered with warm and friendly attention. Flirting is great and so being friendly.
Like all signals and messages some a clearer than others. Forgive me in advance if my friendly gestures are understood as flirting but if I am however flirting, let the games begin.