It's Not Like I Like You!

Chapter 3

"Yasmin." Austin spoke softly as he got up from his seat. "You coming?" He questioned, grabbing his bag from he floor and staring at the girl who was seated in front of him. Their classes had just finished and it was time for lunch. Yasmin glanced up from her camera, as she flicked through the photos she took that day, and stared at the young man blankly. 

"Where?" She asked in return, turning to look at her camera once again. Austin rolled his eyes an grabbed the camera from the woman's hands. He swung it over his shoulder as Yasmin glared at him. Austin crossed his arms and grinned. 

"Lunch, obviously." He replied, his tone playful. Yasmin sighed softly as she stood up and grabbed her bag from next to her chair and packed up her things. "Where do you want to go?" Austin asked, leaning against one of the desks and watching the girl. 

"What do you mean? Aren't we going back to the flat?" She asked, confusion clear in her voice and from the light furrow in her brow. Austin chuckled and stood up straight. 

"No. Not yet." Austin smiled a little awkwardly. Yasmin stared at him and swung her bag over her shoulder. She stepped closer to Austin and pointed to her camera, which was still swung over his shoulder, when he watched her with a confused expression painted on his face. He looked over at her camera. "I can carry it." He shrugged as he began to walk out from the classroom. Yasmin rolled her eyes and followed the young man. 

"Fine. Just... don't take it out." She warned as she walked beside him. Austin looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Yasmin glared at him. "I mean it." She frowned. Austin nodded, an amused smile playing on his lips. 

"Can I ask why?" He grinned, his hands in his pockets as he led the girl through the campus. Yasmin didn't answer as she followed the man, looking around and noticing how all the girls watched them walk through the campus. She quickly looked down to her feet as she walked. 

Austin noted the girl's silence and stopped in his tracks, turning to face the young woman. Since Yasmin wasn't looking where she was going, she bumped into the man's firmly built chest. "Hey. What are you doing?" He grinned, looing at the girl. Yasmin smiled a little awkwardly and looked around again. Austin frowned in confusion and looked around. 

All the other young women on campus were staring at them and whispering amongst themselves. Austin sighed loudly in exasperation and grabbed Yasmin by the wrist, pulling her along him as he walked speedily through the campus and out the large, front gates. 

Once they stepped out of the campus grounds he let go of the girl's wrist and looked at the girl apologetically. "I'm sorry... I was a bit rough." He hung his head and sighed loudly, leaning against one of the walls. Yasmin glanced at him and joined him, sitting on the wall with her feet barely touching the ground. 

"It's fine." She reassured quietly, fidgeting with her fingers. Austin noticed her anxiousness and stood in front of her. 

"They weren't whispering about you." He looked away, his eyes closed. "It's... they're talking about me." He sighed and looked at the girl again. Yasmin stared back at him, her face blank. She clearly didn't understand why Austin was upset with everyone talking about him. He was good-looking but wasn't that a good thing?

She hopped off the wall and brushed herself off quickly. "Where did you want to go? There's nothing out here..." She looked around to prove her point. Austin nodded and sat on the wall, his feet resting on the concrete with ease. She stared at the young man as he sat. She couldn't help but think that he was incredibly handsome in the sunlight, with his hair flowing in the slight breeze. 

"I wanted to go eat in one of the cafes at the campus but... the other students make you uncomfortable, right?" Austin spoke softly, his eyes meeting with Yasmin's. The girl nodded and sighed. "We can chill hear for a bit." Yasmin hummed in agreement and leaned on the wall again, looking over the view of the fields which went on for miles on end. 

"So..." Yasmin started a little awkwardly. She couldn't help her voice from being small in front of Austin. She wasn't close with him and their first encounter wasn't exactly pleasant for her. It made her feel slightly uncomfortable but, fortunately, not to the point of having to avoid him. "About those whispers." She looked at Austin expectantly. 

Austin leaned his head back onto the fence and closed his eyes. "I did say I'd tell you, huh." He muttered. He looked over at Yasmin and then looked away quickly. "Well... I don't usually tell people." Yasmin frowned. 

"You promised." She reminded the young man. He groaned a little at the words. He, of course, knew she was right but they only knew each other for less than two days. Why did he even think that he'd be comfortable enough with Yasmin to tell her about his issues? Why did he want to tell her things he never spoke of even to his closest friends and family? 

"I know, I know." He rubbed his hand over his face and took out a packet of cigarettes. He pulled one out and put it to his lips. He lit it and took a long draw of the unhealthy, nicotine-filled stick. Yasmin grimaced at the smell and stood up straight, standing in front of the young man in order to escape the stench, even if it was just a little. "Basically, I'm a playboy." He said, matter-of-factly. Yasmin tilted her head at the words, confusion written all over her face. 

"I don't know what that is." Yasmin replied, crossing her arms over her chest. Austin chuckled and looked down, sadly. "Tell me." The girl pressed and poked the man's shoulder, her tone slightly playful. Austin looked at her. 

"It means that... I date girls and break up with them when I get bored." He replied, taking another puff from his cigarette and looked back down to his feet, expecting the girl to leave after hearing about his personality. To his surprise, she sat back down on the wall and grabbed the cigarette from him. She threw it down and stomped on it with her foot. 

"Hm... Why?" She asked, looking at the man. Austin stared at her. Why? That was something he couldn't share. He looked down to his feet. 

"Just because..." He replied simply. Yasmin laughed at the answer, making Austin look back up at her, confused and upset. "What are you laughing at?" He spat. Yasmin looked at him and grinned. 

"I'm laughing because you're lying." She shrugged. Austin's eyes widened a little and he frowned. "I can tell. It's obvious that you have a reason. I want to know what it is." She continued, swinging her feet back and forth. Austin clenched his fists on his lap. 

"It's better to hurt someone than be hurt..." He grumbled slightly. Yasmin glanced at him but didn't reply for a moment. "I just don't want to be heartbroken again. All the girls at the campus just want to date me for my looks... once they find out what I do in my free time, they almost look..." He paused, searching for a word. 

"Disgusted." Yasmin finished with a small smile. Austin looked at her and nodded in agreement, fidgeting with his fingers slightly. Yasmin sighed a little and looked up at the sky. "I get it but... that's not the whole story, is it?" She glanced at the man again who shook his head and sighed. "I won't make you tell me if you don't want to. I'm not that nosy." She hopped off the wall and stretched. 

Austin watched her for a moment. She looked at him and grinned, taking her camera from him and taking it out. She pointed it at Austin with a smile and snapped a quick photo of him in the sunlight. Austin chuckled and stood up. 

"Why?" He grinned at the girl. Yasmin looked at him and showed him the screen on her camera with a small shrug. 

"You look good." She smiled. "No one should judge you for what you like. If you like taking photos, then do it." She shrugged and put her camera away. Austin stared at her, processing her words. Her compliment repeating in his head over and over again. 

"You look good."