"Whats up... I'm Jack your neighbor. I have a drinking problem, a cat, and commitment issues."

I was pretty much hooked on the spot. I love cats, alcohol and not catching feelings for guys. His rugged beard and his tendency to always have a cig in his hand made me love his laid back attitude like he didn't care about anything... and he didn't. I would come to find that out, but more on that later. Nothing bothered him, nothing could phase him.

I thought that because my rebound and my ex -ooked like polar opposites that I was "trying something new and different." But looks are deceiving, because on the inside the way they handled things was very similar.

New to my college and new to being single again, I was pretty much happy and willing to meet new people and "get back out there." I loved cats, and if he had commitment issues, then we wouldn't catch feelings. It seemed like the perfect set up. Just someone to help me get over my ex.

As always, this is easier said than done......

I was in a new environment, mentally and physically, and I wanted to have fun and be carefree, never considering that my rebound would develop feelings for me or that I might develop feelings for him. That he would bring up hypothetical "if we dated" situations, and I would want to run the other way. I was only taking into account my feelings towards the situation, not noticing what was going on in his head.

However, I think I started developing feelings for him. To this day, I'm not sure if that's what it was. No matter what, I deeply care about my ex-boyfriend and Jack to this day, regardless of what happens, but I know I can never be with either of them.

My rebound guy taught me that sometimes we just look for attention/affection from someone regardless of who it is, because we miss having that connection with someone.

But here's what ended up happening. I realized that I would treat Jack the way I treated my ex boyfriend. I was so controlling and micromanaging Jack like the way I did to my ex because of the pattern of the kind of guys I fall for. Super charming, but kind of unpassionate guys, who are serious and semi-quiet. They deal with their emotions by keeping them in, not letting them out. If there's an issue, i'll be the last one to know.

Me, on the other hand...I'm upfront, head strong, stubborn, and bossy. I am about as opposite of passive aggressive as you can get. Yet I b*tch at guys and test my limits, simply because I know they won't do anything.

I know I can walk over them, not that I want to, I just know none of them will show me who's boss, so I just be the bossy girl that I am and get away with it. Its not that I like being like this, I just know that when I meet a guy who calls me out on the games I play and limits I push, I'll find a relationship that will work.

My rebound guy taught me that I am aggressive and dominant, and have yet to meet a guy that can be on that same wave length as me. It taught me that I fall for guys the exact opposite of that because I know I can boss them around and have the upper hand.

My rebound taught me that I need strong and detailed communicators, instead of falling for vague guys that don't know what to say back to me.

However, theres no rush. High school and college aren't meant for finding those kinds of guys. College is meant for learning what you like and don't like about someone you want to have a connection with. There is no rush to find someone you want to be with long term, the point is to allow people to teach you lessons along the way.

My rebound guy taught me that you can't change someone's nature to match yours, especially if they have no interest in doing so. My rebound guy taught me that we find patterns in the people we attract, some good and some bad, and that is perfectly okay, as long as we keep learning.