Ezekiel, with his effortlessly charming smile and seemingly endless charisma, had gained a notorious reputation in the eyes of his roommate. Each month, like clockwork, Ezekiel would introduce a new girl into their shared living space, and the walls would soon reverberate with unmistakable sounds of his nightly activities. It was a ritual that left his roommate feeling more and more repulsed, as each new dalliance only solidified his disdain for Ezekiel's behavior. To him, Ezekiel's pattern reflected nothing more than sheer superficiality, a womanizer viewing relationships as mere conquests rather than meaningful connections. The audacity with which Ezekiel flaunted his lifestyle stoked a simmering contempt, longing for decency and depth he believed sorely lacking in his neighbor's approach to intimacy.

His roommate had just yelled at Ezekiel, called him disgusting, expressed repulsion in a rage-filled outburst, then slammed the door in his face.

Ezekiel stood frozen, the harsh words echoing in his ears. He could feel the anger and revulsion dripping from every syllable, stinging more than he cared to admit. For a long moment, he simply stared at the closed door, his straight nose twitching as he processed the emotions swirling inside him.

Then, slowly, a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. He shook his head, letting out a low, mirthless chuckle as he turned back to his own room.

"Pathetic? Disgusting?" Ezekiel muttered, voice tinged with bitter edge. "He thinks he's so much better, so pure and righteous..."

He paused by his open door, looking back with a thoughtful expression.

"Well, let him think what he wants," Ezekiel said, voice turning cold. "He doesn't know a damn thing about me or what I really want. He doesn't know that every 'one night stand' has been a lie, a ploy to make him jealous and realize what he's missing out on..."

With that, Ezekiel stepped into his room, closing the door softly. He leaned against it, heart pounding as he grappled with revealing his true feelings.

"He doesn't know," Ezekiel whispered, a sad smile playing on his lips. "He doesn't know that I'm in love with him, that I have been for years. He doesn't know that every 'girlfriend' has been a figment of my imagination, a way to make him see me as someone worthy of his affection."

Truthfully, Ezekiel had a lesbian friend, Lila, who helped him make fake sex sounds. Her mocked moaning and Ezekiel's combined groans while he clapped his hands made a perfect illusion. Just in an attempt to make his roommate jealous.

Ezekiel's heart ached with the weight of his unspoken love, knowing he needed to find a way to make his roommate see the truth beneath the bravado and casual confidence - that he was just a man desperate for his love.