You Took A Part Of Me (Cashby)

Chapter Three

I felt kind of bad about what I said to Austin after I saw the look on his face. He seemed shocked, and maybe a little hurt. It was as if there was something more to this little game he was playing, and I was going to find out.

When we got back to the campus, I decided to ask Austin the question that had been burning a hole in my mind.

"Hey, Austin?" I mumbled.

"What?" He almost snapped.

"Well, about what you said in the hospital, are you like...gay?" I asked cautiously.

"You seem so interested," he chuckled.

I felt myself blushing, but didn't let it affect me too much. "No, I was just wondering."

"You know what they say: Curiosity killed the cat. The tabby cat," he put a little too much emphasis on "tabby."

"Right. Should have known I wouldn't get a realistic answer," I muttered.

"It is a realistic answer. That saying has been around forever."

"No, Austin. I meant to the original question. Not your cute little fucking idiom thing."

"Well, it's not my 'cute little fucking idiom thing.' It actually belongs to some probably dead person who made it up," he snickered. Yeah, I was so fucking amused.

"You know, you can quit acting like a child anytime now," I said a little too sarcastically.

"But what fun is that? I like messing with my Ginger Prince," he joked. Something about that statement made me feel kind of fuzzy inside. He called me his Ginger Prince. Was that supposed to mean something? Probably not. My overthinkative mind got the best of me for a second. Why would someone like him ever like someone like me? Now THAT'S a good joke.

"Yeah, yeah, again with my hair. I swear I'm going to dye it," I said aggravatedly.

"No," he looked at me. "Don't dye it. I like the ginger."

"Translation: You like making fun of the ginger," I rolled my eyes.

"If you keep rolling your eyes, they're going to get stuck like that," he laughed.

"Good, then I won't have to look at you," I teased. Whoa, did I just make a joke? I think I did. Austin noticed, too, because his jaw was on the floor.

"Jeez, Gingy! Didn't know you had it in you!" He remarked.

"Yeah, well there's a lot you don't know about me."

"I'd like to know," he said almost genuinely. I wasn't buying it, though.

"No, you just want to know my secrets and torment me with them for the rest of my life."

"Is there really a difference?" He asked.

"Yeah. You could keep the secrets and be a decent person or you could be Austin and make fun of me for everything I tell you," I differentiated for him.

"You know, I'm not that hard to get along with."

"Tell that to my broken arm," I lifted up my casted limb.

"Hey, that was your fault. You reached in through the door," he shrugged.

"My fault?! You could have just let me in the goddamned room and none of this would have happened!" I yelled.

"You know, you're kinda cute when you're mad," he smirked. What?

"Uh...that....that's not the point! I'm still pissed at you!" I stuttered.

"And I still think it's cute," he argued.

"Quit trying to flatter me. I know what you're trying to do," I felt myself sigh a little because I knew he didn't mean it.

"And what is it that I'm trying to do?" He questioned.

"You're trying to get me all worked up and make me fall head over heels in love and then break me and make fun of me for it," I explained.

"Who ever said you were going to fall in love? I believe those were your own words, Tabby," he grinned and I knew I had blown it. He was aware of my secret.

"Fuck," I uttered under my breath.

"What was that? You're not happy about getting caught, are you?" He teased as we parked outside the dorms.

"I never said anything," I said, trying to cover it up. But it was too late. I practically jumped out of the car in attempt to escape quickly, but remembered I still didn't have my key. That asshole.

He came up behind me, snaking an arm around my shoulders and whispering, "I won't tell anybody." His arm dropped as he opened the door and went inside. I was left awestruck and locked out of the building...yet again.

I hated Austin Carlile.