Touching Boundaries

CHAPTER 4 : KEERTI

Keerti had a frown etched on her face as she bent her neck and concentrated on the blank pages in front of her.

Light pressure. Long strokes. Steady hands_._ Keerti reminded herself as she gripped the pencil in her hand tighter.

Why was it so difficult to draw figures, dammit!

Groaning and scratching the side of her face, she fell back in her chair. The tension in her shoulders relieved a bit and her strained neck thanked her for giving up. The stack of papers sitting on her desk seemed to taunt her for yet another failed attempt. She felt the burning need to reach out and throw them away from her sight but her hands stopped mid air.

Another roar of laughter echoed in the house and she rolled her eyes. She jerked back in her chair and exasperated a sigh.

She was thankful people hadn't come barging in her room and disrupted her solace. Yet she hoped they would come and sit across her and demand attention from her. Why was there a part of her which wanted her to be heard and felt seen?

I don't need anything from them! She thought stubbornly and crossed her arms in her lap.

Someone knocked at her door and Keerti sucked in a deep breath. Her neck snapped in the direction of the door but her heart deflated when she saw it was just Siddharth.

"Oye," he began. "Why do you look like you just ran ten laps of Juhu beach?" He asked raising his eyebrows.

"Maybe because I did," she muttered before rolling her head back and staring up at the ceiling.

"It's just junior college yet and you're so tired?" He chuckled while shaking his head.

Keerti wanted to tell him that she wasn't tired. No. She was far from being tired. She was.....frustrated.

With her not being able to draw. With her not being able to go Pune. With her not getting the attention she deserved. With her disappearing in the family like a no one.

Keerti bit her lip afraid the truth would slip out her mouth and make it a reality. Such a complain-box you are, Riddhi would've snickered at Keerti.

Keerti ground her teeth together at that thought.

"By the way I think you should go after daadi, she's hell bent on getting her ice cream today," Siddharth mentioned casually while continuing on his way to Ronit's room.

Keerti was up on her feet at once. Pulling all her fly away hair together and quickly shoving her practice sketches into the drawer, she sang in a very familiar tone,

"DAAAAAAADIIIIIIIII"

She marched out and headed straight for the door where her Daadi was stopped by none other than Riddhi. Keerti's steps slowed down at her sight, she forced a smile onto her face and hated every effort it required.

"Daadi, andar chalo" Keerti gripped her daadi's forearm and began guiding her back inside.

"Dekh, mujhe na diabities hai aur na hi BP toh mujhe chahiye ice cream," Daadi stood her ground causing Keerti to sigh.

"But ice cream kha ke aapko jo sardi ho jati hai uska kya?" Keerti asked. "And then I have to keep the ac off all night"

"I don't know anything, vanilla flavored ice cream la de mujhe ja," Daadi demanded, "Both my sons here are useless and my grandkids shameless!"

Riddhi bit back a laugh at that and Keerti herself had to contain her laughter at her Daadi's outburst.

"You're cute, Daadi," Riddhi batted her eyelashes as she caressed her daadi's cheeks. "But it's only nine yet. You know what? We all will have ice cream today and we'll bring you as well. Bas abhi nahi"