In The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood, Offred has many different relationships. Some of those relationships are with the Marthas, the Commander's Wife and the Commander himself. Offred does have a relationship that is not like the others. This relationship is with Nick, a Guardian. This relationship that Offred and Nick have together is special to Offred, but it is also very dangerous. Guardians and Handmaids are not allowed to interact with each other, if they do and they get caught, the punishment is death. However, whenever Nick and Offred are near each other, Nick tries to interact with her in some way, even if it is subtle.
             When Offred first notices Nick looking at her, she is unsure of herself. She wonders why he is interacting with her. She thinks it might be a test to see what she would do, or if he's just being friendly. She even thinks that he may be an Eye. Since it is forbidden for Offred and Nick to speak to each other, Offred does not know what to do about it. She feels confused about Nick and why he would do such a thing to try to interact with her.
             "Nick walks in, nods to all three of us, looks around the room. He too takes his place behind me, standing. He's so close that the tip of his boot is touching my foot. Is this on purpose? Whether it is or not we are touching, two shapes of leather. I feel my shoe soften, blood flows into it, it grows warm, it becomes a skin. I move my foot slightly, away." (Pg. 104)
             In this quote, Offred describes how Nick was touching her shoe with his boot. Offred describes him doing this with great detail. The way in which she describes it, it appears that Offred is somewhat pleased that they were touching. She is describing how her shoe was softening and getting warm. Although Offred may have liked that she and Nick were touching, she moves her foot away. This interaction between them most likely made Offred more confused about her relationship ...