Where to Find Love (MXM) ✔

Chapter 13

Isaiah Bryant

The dorm room was empty when I returned after my afternoon class. I set my bag down by the bed. The mattress on the bed indented slightly as I sat on it. I looked around. Normally I liked it when I returned and Levi wasn't there. So why did I feel empty? Ever since I parted ways with Eddie yesterday, I wasn't myself.

From the moment I met him, I hadn't been myself. I mean, I never asked people out for coffee. Never. I never had before and I never thought I would.

I pulled out my math book and my homework assignment. I dug through my bag until I found a pencil. I was halfway through the assignment when I remembered him again. His expression never changed while he beat those guys. He wasn't angry and he didn't get some kind of sick glee from it. He just did it like he it was his job. No big deal. That should frighten me, right? Not make my heart start pounding in my chest faster with excitement like it was now. I had never been this way before. I didn't like violence. I knew it was necessary sometimes, but more often than not, it was used for the wrong reasons.

I shook my head to get him out of my thoughts and returned to my homework. I finished my math homework and pulled out my engineering assignment.

His eyes were a beautiful dark brown. Soulful. Pools of depth and mystery. I stared at the wall beyond Levi's bed while I thought about his eyes. I blinked and came to myself. I pinched my eyes shut to rid myself of the image. When I opened them, I started on my assignment again.

I finished with my engineering assignment. I put it away and opened my laptop. It wouldn't hurt to read ahead a little bit in the syllabus.

Maybe he reminded me of Juan and that was why I couldn't stop thinking about him. Juan and I hadn't officially been in a relationship, but he was the closest thing I ever had to a relationship. That must be it. He must remind me of Juan. I tried to convince myself, but I knew that wasn't it. Even when I was with Juan, I didn't think about him. I didn't obsess over him. I just enjoyed the moments with him and moved on. This was different.

Eddie's hair was a little long. It was black, shiny and looked soft. I wondered if it was soft. I wanted to run my fingers through his hair.

No. Focus. I turned my attention back to the syllabus I pulled up on my laptop. Time passed slowly as my eyes focused and unfocused on the words.

I closed the syllabus not getting much out of it and opened up my email. There weren't any new emails. I didn't expect there to be.

It had been easy to talk to him and he didn't ask any questions I didn't really want to answer. At least not after that family one. And that had actually connected us more since it was clear he didn't have anyone either. Maybe I had read into that too much. But I didn't think so. There had been a strange understanding that had passed between us at that moment. A connection.

Ugh. Why couldn't I stop thinking about him? I pulled up a comedy and started to watch it. I stared blankly at the screen while jokes were made and people tripped over themselves. It wasn't that I didn't find it funny, I did. I just didn't laugh. I couldn't remember the last time I laughed. Isaac told me once it was before our mom left and she left when I was a small child.

Why had it been so easy to talk to him? I didn't even know him. The most I knew was that his name was Eddie, he didn't have anyone, and he beat up the bastards that tried to rob me. The only other person that had been so easy to talk to was Latisha. Not even Isaac was as easy to speak with. Maybe that was what it was. Maybe he reminded me of Latisha. That wasn't quite right. Maybe he reminded me of all of them - Isaac, Latisha and Juan. That must have been it.