Touching Boundaries

CHAPTER 7: SIDDHARTH

Siddharth stood waiting for her reply as blood pounded in his ears. 

"Set you up?" Keerti confirmed. 

Siddharth nodded slowly. He felt bothered that he was asking her for this.

On one side was Keerti asking help to chase her dreams and on one side was Siddharth, asking what exactly? 

To have a date?

He grimaced then. He looked down at his shoes and started chewing his cheek. 

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

But he had spent the entire day wondering how the things he hadn't even dreamt of sharing with anyone, were exactly what she pointed out?

Was he such an open book? 

Then why hadn't people close to him noticed this?

And if it's wasn't such a obvious thing, how did she hit the bulls eye?

Was it a random guess she made out of the blue? It had to be!

But then he felt like he needed to hear it from her. That she was merely trying to string some words together so that he was drawn to her. 

God, his brain was hurting from all this thinking. 

He cleared his throat awkwardly ready to look up and take it all back. He would definitely help Keerti, there was no doubt in that but he had just tested out if he could this one thing in return. 

"I...." Keerti began but blinked not knowing what to say. 

"You know what? I tak-"

"Like a date?" Keerti asked. 

What were you even thinking? Siddharth blushed. 

He was about to deny all that and tell her how she should forget about it but then Keerti smiled. 

She actually tilted her head to the side and her lips curved up. 

"I never thought you'd be into..." She cracked a small, innocent smile. "...dating"

"What?!" Siddharth shrieked.

Keerti pressed her lips together. "Yeah, I mean you're all sanskari and all, I thought you will go for arrange marriage."

Siddharth was out of words.

"But don't worry, who ever this is, obviously one of my friends, I'll help you."

That was... Unexpected.

"So who is it? One of my school friends? Or someone from our society? Oh my god, is it Radhika? You two are like an exclusive pair whenever we meet to play badminton. But isn't she like three years elder to you? So you have a crush on her?"

Siddharth had never heard so many words out of her mouth all at once. He stared at her and reminded himself that she was sixteen. Obviously she would go clap her hands and talk annoyingly of cute couples and being the match maker.

"Keerti, you need to relax."

She was not relaxing.

"Have you thought where you'll take her? I've heard she's into BTS. Good luck with all the purple bombs she'll drop on you. But also why would you need my help with asking her out? I know she has anger issues but she won't throw a vase at yo-"

"Good god, Keerti!" His voice rose from his usual decibel.

Keerti stopped and looked at him. Her eyebrows rose as she waited for her.