It's Not Like I Like You!

Chapter 4

Yasmin hummed softly to herself as she walked through the campus, Austin following close behind her. "Where did you want to go?" Yasmin asked as she stared at the trees and blooming flowers. Noticing the young man's silence, she glanced at him. 

Austin's eyebrows were furrowed slightly and his eyes staring at his feet, almost drilling holes in his shoes. He was in his own world and, clearly, didn't hear Yasmin's question. She slowed her pace and nudged the man with her arm gently. 

"Hey." Yasmin spoke softly and grinned once Austin looked up at her. She stared into his eyes as she noticed the vulnerable and, somewhat, upset look in his eyes. "You okay?" She asked, looking away quickly. Austin cleared his throat before speaking. 

"Yeah..." He rubbed the nape of his neck awkwardly. "Sorry. I was zoned out. Did you say something?" He asked, still staring at his feet. Yasmin watched him for a while before sighing softly. 

"It's nothing. Let's just go back to the flat." Austin looked up at her and frowned. Yasmin smiled gently and nudged him again. "We can eat in the flat, right? We don't have to get lunch outside." She shrugged as she explained simply. Austin sighed but nodded. 

"Yeah, I guess." He grumbled as he led the way back to the flat. Yasmin followed him as she stared at his back. For some reason, she wanted to know what the young man was thinking; she wanted to know what was going through his head after telling her a part of himself that no one knows about. 

Once the pair arrived back at the flat, the other three guys were watching a football game on the TV in the communal living room. Yasmin waved at the three of them before walking into the kitchen with Austin. 

The kitchen was a mess and the table was stacked with empty pizza boxes and beer cans. She sighed softly as she put her bag down and looked in the fridge. Austin watched her and frowned at the rubbish left all over the table. Without a word, he grabbed a black bin bag and cleaned the table silently. 

Yasmin watched him for a while before closing the fridge and smiling a little. "I don't really have any food..." She sighed softly. "We don't have to eat together. You can join the guys if you want." She flashed another innocent smile before picking up her bag and began to walk out of the kitchen to head into her bedroom. Austin frowned and grabbed the girl's bag hesitantly. 

"I... don't want to." He whispered. Yasmin looked over at him and then into the adjacent living room. "I want to eat with you... if that's okay." He spoke quietly. Yasmin smiled and nodded, looking back at Austin. 

"Sure but... we'll have to order something in." Yasmin put her bag back down on the floor and walked to the opposite side of the table. She helped the young man clean the table with a small smile. "You don't like football?" She asked as she wiped the sticky table down. Austin shook his head. 

"Not really. If I'm with my friends, I'll watch it but... it's not that interesting and I don't know what's happening half of the time." He spoke as he tied up the bag and washed his hands in the sink. "It's stupid, I know. I seem like a jock but... I don't really like sports. I just dress like this." He explained quietly. Once he realised what he said, he cleared his throat and quickly added, "I work out it's just..." He trailed off. Yasmin laughed a little as she washed her hands after Austin stepped away from the sink. 

"I know that." She replied simply. "I told you before, right?" She looked at the young man who was staring at her blankly. "You're not what you seem, Austin. You're much more... I don't know." She shrugged as she picked her bag up again. Austin blushed a little. He thought of this as a compliment. In all honesty, he hated jocks and the way they acted but at the same time, he dressed like a typical frat boy. He would never say this out loud but he always felt like he had certain standards to uphold around women he was with but with Yasmin, it was different. He somehow felt like he could be himself without being judged. It felt nice. 

Austin cleared his throat and stood up straight. "Are we going to eat in the kitchen, or...?" He asked, trailing off a little as he looked over the stuffy kitchen again and frowned at the loud talking and screams from the other three guys watching football in the living room. Yasmin shook her head. 

"We can eat in my room. Unless you want to eat in yours." She shrugged as she walked over to her bedroom. Austin let out a deep breath. 

"I don't mind. I wanted to eat together anyway..." He spoke softly. Yasmin smiled and nodded, glancing at his clothes. Austin stared at her and, subconsciously, looked down at his outfit. Blue jeans, large hoodie and white t-shirt. Austin looked back at the girl. "What is it?" He asked. 

Yasmin smiled and shook her head. "You can change into something more comfortable if you like." She offered. "You don't have to dress like... that when we're hanging out." She said simply as she pointed to his jeans and opened her bedroom door. Austin nodded slowly and walked to his bedroom door. 

"Uh... sure. I'll get changed first then." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Yasmin smiled from her doorway. 

"Me too. You can just come in once you're done." She said before disappearing into her bedroom and closing the door. She changed into a pair of shorts and a loose, hand-me-down t-shirt she had from one of her brothers the logo on it had almost washed away and the colour was faded but it wasn't something Yasmin could, or would, complain about. 

She unpacked her bag and placed her camera neatly down onto her desk. She opened her curtains and smiled at the sunset, welcoming the slight glow into her room. She opened the window and breathed in the smell of the evening which began to roll in. Yasmin unlocked her phone and smiled once she saw a photo of her youngest sister in a pool with the rest of her class, learning how to swim. She replied to her mother's message just as Austin knocked on the door and walked in quietly. 

Yasmin looked over and instantly smiled. The young man was wearing a loose black t-shirt with a bizarre logo, which Yasmin has never seen before, and sweatpants. He had black glasses placed on the bridge of his nose. His hair was washed and kept down. 

Austin looked down and blushed a little as he closed Yasmin's bedroom door and sat down next to her on the bed awkwardly. "Do I look... weird?" He asked, feeling the young woman's eyes on him. Yasmin chuckled and shook her head. 

"Not at all." She grinned. "You look much better like this." She smiled as she scrolled through her phone. "Now. What should we eat?" She asked. Austin looked at the girl and smiled. His smile, for the first time in a while, felt genuine and true.