The three months I lived in the small dorm room with David, I never had an inkling that he felt the way he did. We weren't overly friendly with each other. We made small talk and generally liked each other but our friendship really didn't blossom past that point. I liked David though, even harboring a secret crush on him. With the class schedule I had, and him always off practicing with the baseball team we rarely were in the room together for any long periods of time. David had endless energy and was always running off to do something athletic or meet with his friends for a beer. I on the other hand, a confirmed bookworm stayed in the room for hours at a time lost in another world. I have no illusions that our friendship would have remained casual at best if fate hadn't thrown us a curveball.
One night after a few beers with friends David slipped on an icy stair and broke his l eg. He was laid up in the infirmary for a few days and like a good roommate I brought him the essentials. I sat with him for an hour or so just making small talk. He was disappointed that he'd messed up his training schedule, but seemed to take his injury in stride. When he casually mentioned that he would need someone to collect his assignments and help him around campus I volunteered myself. I guess at the time I felt bad. He'd do the sam e for me right, that's what a good roommate would do. He looked at me for a long time before he accepted my help. His face was un readable and just when I thought he would say he had someone else in mind he smiled and thanked me.
By the time the doctor let David come back to the dorm two days later, I ha spoken to his professors and arranged everything. We were in a few of the same courses and that helped out tremendously. After he was settled in the room I gathered up all his work and spread it out for him. I had organized the assignments, marking off the corresponding pages in each textbook and generally had it as easily accessible as I could.
"This is great Luke." He said looking over all the materials I had so carefully organized. "I thought you'd just hand me a page of written assignments, this must have taken a long time."
"You know me, I love to organize." I said laughing. Our two sides of the room could not look any different if we came from different planets. Mine being the neat, orderly and efficient side. David's side of the room however looked as though a five year old with a snow blower was left there for an hour.
"Thanks," He said with a sheepish grin "I hope you didn't go through too much trouble."
"Nah." I replied, with a big grin of my own spreading over my face.
He worked pretty diligently for an hour while I buried my nose in one of my textbooks. Occas ionally I'd hear him sigh and look up. Every time our eyes met it seemed that smile of his got bigger and lasted longer. After awhile I could tell he was stuck on something and asked him if there was anything I could help with.
"I am trying to read these sonnets but I can't understand a word this guy is saying."
"Well they can be tricky," I said grabbing the book and reading through the one he was working on. He was reading a sonnet about the newness of love that was heavily infused with imagery of a blossoming spring. Of course it would turn out to be a love poem. I started to explain the metaphors to him and after a few minuets he seemed to be getting it. I was about to turn back to my book when David surprised me by asking me a personal question.
"Why don't you ever go out on any dates?" He asked innocently.
"Too busy." I tried to casually brush it off.
"I don't think that's it Luke, you spend a lot of time in this room when you could be out with a girl, hell lot's of girls"
"I'm not good with girls." I replied.
"If you talked poetry with them I bet you would be." He seemed genuine as he said it but there was something behind his grin that had me wondering. Did he know I was gay, that I had a crush on him.
