Connor’s admittedly been at edge since he moved back into his dorm room for the new semester. After a few talks with his academic advisory, and against her better judgement, he had swapped around a couple of his classes. Someone like him doesn’t belong in business. It’s so fast paced, competitive and there’s such a huge workload that he’s honestly surprised the actual business majors have not burrowed themselves into a hole. It’s not that he’s falling behind, he just doesn’t like it. But a promise is a promise, and since he’s made the change, he’s actually gotten a couple of messages from his mother asking about how he’s doing. Okay, there had just been one. But Connor takes his victories where he can. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s definitely not sad.
Though as much as he’d like to say that’s all his thoughts have been since classes have started, it isn’t the complete truth. Although he’s been curious, he’s made it a point to avoid Ryan. Which, as he expected, is hard to do when he literally lives across the hall from him. But somehow, Connor manages. Even when they pass each other on the rare chance, he keeps his head ducked down, gives a small nod, and slips away before the other boy can stop him. It’s complicated. He doesn’t have anything against Ryan. Doesn’t hate him or anything of the sort. But, okay... He might be a little afraid of him. Things between them became a lot more real than he expected. Too (and he’d never say this out loud) intimate. They were hanging out a lot of the time, cuddling even. Becoming fast friends, and maybe something more?
The memory is enough to send a shiver down Connor’s spine. He’s sat on his bed in his dorm room, laptop open on his lap with pages of notes scattered beside him. The dark circles under his eyes should show just how late he’s been staying up lately, writing papers and all that fun stuff. He places his laptop down and stands, stretching his arms up into the air with a groan.
Who knows what time it is? Regardless, he decides that it’s more than reasonable to take a prolonged break. One that starts with going to the bathroom. He puts on some water for tea and ducks out of his room, pocketing his keys. He stops for a moment, eyes locked on Ryan’s door. Connor does that a lot, apparently. At least, that’s what the girl in the room next to him tells him. Maybe he waits to make sure they don’t run into each other. Or maybe there is a part of him that wishes Ryan would come out right then. Connor misses him. He shouldn’t be allowed to, though. Considering it is his decision to cut ties. Sighing, Connor ducks his head down, pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and shuffles off to the bathroom.
His body moves on autopilot, from one station to the next. It’s not until he’s washing his hands that he looks at himself in the mirror and winces. He could use a break, a siesta. Tucking his bottom lip between his teeth, he stands straight and turns to leave, stopping short when he sees who walks in. Connor’s mouth opens and closes a few times, he shifts a bit, and ducks his head down, offering a mumbled greeting as he tries to move pass them.