Breaking stereotypes

Chapter-10

"You don't need to see me off."
"No, it's okay. I'm free anyway."
Free. . Why I wonder.
The tension isn't there anymore but it's still weird. Not in uncomfortable way but how do I explain? Like we're shy? I need to say something.
"So why veg?" I ask.
"Hah?" another shock look from him. The roles are being reversed and I am liking it.
"The burger" I shake off his confusion.
"Oh that. I am a vegetarian"
I stop walking for a second. He looks back. "Oh come on, it's not something that extraordinary to be a vegetarian."
"I am a vegetarian too" I give him a smile, as if finding a vegetarian partner is such a big deal. It is though.
"Wow! But you're a Muslim!?"
"Come on, it's not something that extraordinary for a muslim to be a vegetarian and you're a Christian as well!!"
"Yes", he gives a sweet smile. The smile is back and I am the reason. I like the fact.
"So why are you a vegan?" I ask
"My mom was a vegan" he smiles. "I have never met her though" another smile looking at me for a second and then he starts walking again.
My heart shrinks again. I stop walking.
"No, you don't have to, it's been like this forever, I'm used to it." He smiles, a fake one again.
He is 'used to' it. My heart saddens for him. That smile right now is fake. There's sadness in that smile or has sadness been along in his every smile all these time. Oh God! I feel so bad.
I start walking so he doesn't worries much.
"Hey, how do you know she was a vegan?"
"My aunt told me." He smiles.
Another aunt. I wonder how is she? Is she like Adya's aunt too? Questions overflowing inside me.
Before we know, we were right infront of the Library.
"So bye." He says with his right hand up in the air and the bright smile back.
"Bye." I say returning a sweet smile.
He turns back and I watch his back. He doesn't seem as childish and cute-ish as my first impression of him was.
"Hey, how old are you?" I shout and some people around us looks at me, him, then at us. He turns back with surprise on his look. Neither of us care about the people giving us looks.
He smiles, "21" he shouts back, following a brighter smile.
"What about you?" He shouts.
So he doesn't knows the rule about 'not asking a girl her age', not to mention while shouting in a public place full of people.
I didn't mind. I never mind this things. I never understood why we're not suppose to ask at the first place. I like that he asked me the same way I did. I am a feminist who believes in gender equality after all.
"23" I shout back. He is a little shocked but then smiles. He thinks the same thing as I do.
'He is younger than me'
'She is older than me'
Those few people around laughs at us and starts walking the next moment.
We don't seem to care. We were in our own moment.
"What about you, why are you a vegan?" He asks from the same distance.
Why am I? I literally have no idea myself.
"Probably the same reason as your mom", I say smiling, from exactly the same distance as before.
Why in the world did I say something so cheesy and flirty? I pray a porthole appears out of nowhere so I could jump inside it. Wait! He isn't the type to understand cheesy lines or any flirty intentions. Not that I had any to begin with.
He smiles with a slight hint of smirk.
Oh God why? Why did he have to catch it now of all times? He isn't as dense after all!!