Loving You

Chapter 22 - Akshara - Playing Cupid

"And she...she was wondering if you'd be interested in going to dinner with her. Just the two of you."

"Like a date?"

"Yes. A date." I grit out.

"And you're okay with it? With me going out on a date with Reet, I mean?" He asked, trying to gage my reaction.

Poker face, Akshara. Poker face. "Yes. Why would I have a problem with you dating my friend?"

"And why didn't she ask me herself?" He asked, clearing his throat as he leaned back in his chair, giving me his full attention.

"She felt embarrassed, I guess. She thought that since I knew you better then I'd be able to convince you, somehow?" What the hell was I even saying? Everything coming out of my mouth felt like gibberish at this point.

"Do you though?" He pointed out. "Know me better that is?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. What sort of question was it even?

He shook his head, waving me off. "Nothing. So are you sure you don't have a problem with me dating Reet?"

"Date. It's just a date. Singular." I corrected. Wishing quietly that it just stayed at that. A date.

"But...in the future if we did end up dating..."

I inhaled sharply, my stomach tingling at his words and my heart beating so loud that I was sure even he could hear it from the across the desk. "We?"

"Reet and I." Oh.

"Then I won't have any issues. In fact I would be happy. Very happy."

"Would you?" He challenged.

I nodded my head. "Thrilled."

He didn't believe my words. How could he? I didn't believe my words either. "Okay then, yes." He sat up straight as he began organizing the papers on his desk.

"Yes?" I confirmed, making sure I had heard him correctly.

"Yes. Yes, I'll go on a date with her." He reaffirmed.

"Okay, great. I'll let her know."

"Okay, great. So tomorrow, around 7 should be good?"

"Yes. That should be good."

"Great."

"Do you need her number?" I asked, hoping somewhere that he was just pulling my leg and that he actually didn't want to go on a date with Reet.

"Don't bother. I have it. She gave it to me when I dropped her home."

Did she? Had they been texting? "So, you'll text her then? About the date?"

He looked up at me, a strange look clouding his eyes. "Yes. I will. Anything else?"

I shook my head. "Nope. Nothing."

"Okay. Good night, Akshara."

"Goodnight, Abhimanyu." I responded before leaving Abhimanyu to his on accord.

~*~

It was Saturday evening, 6:30pm and I was sitting cross legged on my bed, scarfing down an entire tub of cookie dough ice cream as Reet flipped through my closet looking for a dress to wear for her date with Abhimanyu.

I scooped up the ice cream in the spoon and stuffed it in my mouth, munching down on it and letting small melted bits of it drip on the side of my mouth. The bags under my eyes were proof that I hadn't slept the entire night worrying about all the endless possibilities of how their date could end.