Involved with the Bad Boy

Chapter 36

"You're smoking again aren't you?"

I asked after quietly entering the room and closing the door. He was facing the window, perhaps looking at the view outside so he had his back on me but the smoke surrounding him told me he was definitely smoking.

"So?"

He asked as if smoking was just something normal. Maybe it was for him but definitely not for me. After my mom started drinking I started hating anything related to alcoholic substances, cigarettes included.

"It's not exactly good for your health you know." I say making him snort.

"I don't know how that concerns you."

He says and I agree silently with him. Ofcourse it doesn't concern me. It's his life, it's what he does when he's pissed and I can't just change that now can I?

"It sure doesn't concern me but think about the people you care about. Does your mother even know you smoke? I don't think so and if she were to walk in here and find you doing just that I'm not so sure she'll be happy about it. And if you decided to put your bad boy vibes on hold by fake dating me to make her happy, it shouldn't be so hard for you to stop smoking where she's concerned.

And not to talk about little Soni. What a good example you'll be setting for her if she walks in on you smoking, right? So sure thing Austin, you can go ahead and smoke all you want."

I add the last part sarcastically. I mean it's pretty obvious sometimes he only thinks about himself- which is most of the times, and he needs a reminder there are people looking up to him to do the right things.

I was so lost in scolding him that I didn't realise he'd thrown the cigarette on the ground and stepped on it. But he didn't even turn to look at me. Atleast my lecture worked.

"I'm an asshole. I'm a jerk. I'm so indulged in keeping my bad boy image I don't care who I hurt. You said it yourself, I don't deserve to have such a mother and sister because I can never make them happy-"

"I didn't say that."

I cut him off.

"But you certainly implied it." He retorts.

"Why are you so pissed Austin? The fact that you got involved in a fight for me just got me all the more confused. And don't you dare tell me you did that because we're fake dating, I'm not buying that shit today. I don't know if it's just me but you act like you truly care about me so please explain it to me."

I say finally happy to be saying exactly what's on my mind. I want answers and if I don't get them, I swear I'll end this fake dating crap right now and go back to my old life where I'll have no interactions with Austin. I ignored the little pang in my chest at the thought of not having Austin in my life anymore.

"It's just you."

He says and I sigh in frustration. So much for thinking he'd stop trying to hurt me or so. Just when I think this is my cue to leave, he asks me something.

"Why are you still sticking around Ali? I've been a complete asshole to you most of the time. Not always but you get me. I'm a jerk. All I'm good at is fucking every pretty girl that comes my way. I know I confuse you at times, one day I'm acting as if we're friends or so and the next I'm saying it didn't mean anything. And then I tell you my mom asked for you and you don't even object. You followed me here with not so much as a query. Why are you still helping me? Why Ali?"

He said catching me off guard. Never in a million years did I ever imagine him asking me something like that. I thought he didn't even care that I was here. I thought he only cared that his mom was happy and everything else was just dirt to him. But here he was, sounding desperate to know just why I'm still sticking around despite everything he's said to me. I've moved to stand next to him so I could see the desperation written all over his face.