+TYPED OUT-

+LOVE MOLECULE-

Kenneth stopped talking and looked at the auditorium. His gaze searched for a floral print dress that paced in a nine square meter booth at that instant.

Monday listened to Ben. The men spoke of their past relationship with Lennon and why things didn't work out. Ben admitted he was immature and still wished to have fun while Lennon sought a lifetime partner. 

Lennon exposed his conditions to renew their ties. These included not being presented as a friend when meeting people.

Monday didn't imagine a man like Lennon could appeal to Ben. The age difference wasn't visible. The Trinidadian's dark brown skin camouflaged the signs. Monday almost screamed when Ben told her Lennon was fifty-one. The twenty-one-year age gap seemed too much for Monday, who never surpassed five years with the men she dated.

Finally, Ben explained his parents knew he was gay. He had told them multiple times, but the old couple made abstraction. The man would say I'm gay and his mother would ask if he wanted cream in his coffee while his father continued to read his newspaper.

The old couple blocked out any word relating to LGBTQIA themes from discussions. 

After explaining his highly windy night with his Ex, Ben left to see Kenneth.

Monday wished things would work out for Ben and his potential beau. 

Now she faced a dilemma. She tried to figure out whether she should join Ben at the auditorium or not. She couldn't help thinking Kenneth would win a point or something if she showed up at his talk. Monday refused to give the man any satisfaction whatsoever. She sighed, took her purse, and headed there despite herself.

This time Ben stood by the side of the hall. Monday made her way to him while hoping to go unseen, but the movements in the aisle reeled in Kenneth's stare. The man smiled, she was late but present. If Kenneth had to choose, he preferred seeing Monday among the attendees, then not at all, even if he hated hearing the shuffle in the aisles.

"So, what did he say?" Monday whispered in Bens' ear.

"He explained the sandwich," Ben replied.

"Shit, I missed it."

"Ssh," someone hissed.

"I'll tell you what he said later," Ben swiftly replied as Kenneth's words took flight with another theme.

"Love, this is the molecule of love," Kenneth said and pointed at the screen behind him, "you have the following C8H11NO2 plus C10H12N2O plus C43H66N12O12S2, or in other words, Dopamine plus Serotonin to which you add Oxytocin, and this equals love. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter connected to pleasure and reward, and it also dopes one with excitement. Oxytocin and Serotonin are those feel-good love hormones. You've got some pheromones here and there, but globally, this drawing is the feeling.

"The butterflies are the psychical manifestations of that. Like most things involving science, that right there can be controlled. You can decide where, when, and with who you fall in love. You can psychologically schedule the emotion. The only thing you can't regulate is the love interest. I see most of you shrug and ask me then why, Kenneth? Why schedule something if we're not sure the other will be receptive?

"My life experiences and observations, which let me specify, have no scientific value. It's just me trying to elucidate existential questions. So I observed the following, if we don't do the warm-up and prep our minds, most of us miss the mark. The right person comes along, but since we don't read between the lines, we don't understand body language, other tasks absorb us, we miss them.

"This explanation is for those wishing to find love, but there's the other category.

Those who don't want love, at least not that type.ㅡThose who have a fulfilled life without needing to have," Kenneth opened the quotations marks with his hands, "the soulmate because they know the following love, at first sight, doesn't exist, the butterflies, the fateful encounters, you can scratch that. We have criteria, and most seek to find someone who matches the terms of the checklist. And we have our fictional interpretation that our beloved fiction writers fuel by maintaining the myth of that cloud fluff love."

There it was, the moment where eyes widened and lips tightened as the auditors began to question the precepts and values they knew. Kenneth didn't speak to lobotomize the masses. He talked to awaken opinions. So many lived their lives without challenging or deconstructing what they learned. It was this nonchalant attitude that made most people spectators of their existence. 

Happiness did not come naturally. One had to work on themselves to define what would make them happy to seek bliss. Concerning love, only those who understood its mechanics could find a match if that's what they desired.

"The reality is that we want mental stability. In some, see most cases, we desire financial security, intellect, etc. Sometimes these criteria come before beauty, but we all have an I want, and I don't want list. Thus, that alone sweeps away all the spontaneity and irrationality that are supposed to be in the cupids' arrow.

"What the fuck?" Monday said, drawing in stares around her.

Hi guys

Please remember I am not a coach.

Please don't take Kenneth's words seriously.

I hope you liked the chapter.

Take care