Cole stared defiantly at his phone screen before tossing it aside. It hummed loudly with a series of ongoing notifications.

There was no clock on the table beside Cole's bed. Brendon had bought him one once and it was promptly tossed straight out the window as a result. He hadn't tried again since.

Cole's morning class had started nearly an hour ago. He had woken up when the text messages began to flood his phone half an hour earlier and hadn't bothered to answer them. He never did. Or rather, he only did when he had some smartass retort.

This had to be the fiftieth time Cole had skipped class, but it was nothing new. He firmly believed university was a waste of time and could rarely be bothered to go. If Cole wasn't so smart, he would've been kicked out by now. Of course, the large sum of money his older brother Brendon paid the school to keep him enrolled was probably a contributing factor.

It didn't matter. Brendon could bribe the Board all he wanted, it still wouldn't change Cole's mind. However rarely, he went to classes for one reason only. James.

James, who had also been texting him given that Cole had slept through his morning class yet again. Though he wasn't sure he could be blamed.

He hadn't gone to bed until five o'clock in the morning. Lack of sleep was nothing special for Cole but he hadn't the energy or the patience to get up and go sit in a series of two-hour lectures with the rest of society's pretentious so-called future. At least not without a good dose of caffeine and maybe a punch or two to the face to wake him up.

When another string of notifications set his phone off, Cole finally picked up the dreadful device and flicked lazily through the unwanted messages before opening his inbox to one person only.

More messages were exchanged between the pair, mostly a thread of James convincing Cole to come to class. He should have known that his unwillingness to concede would only result in James taking more extreme methods.

Which is how thirty minutes later, Cole begrudgingly opened the door to find his prim and perfectly-groomed best friend standing on the porch.

With a navy blue polo tucked into tan chinos, James' light brown loafers look even more dated and classical than they were. His blonde hair was perfectly combed to the side and his blue eyes were twinkling with something awful.

Cole stared at him with boredom. "You are the epitome of a rich kid, Clemonte."

James grinned. "You're dressed."

"Didn't think you'd want a repeat of last time you tried to drag me out of my house. It's not going to work this time either, by the way."

"What makes you so sure?"

"You're still wearing your watch."

The brown leather band strapped around the other's boys wrist still displayed a regularly-polished golden watch face. A timepiece from Grandfather Clemonte's time in World War II, the Waltham hadn't left James' wrist since he'd inherited it as a boy. Except, of course, for the last time James had tried to get Cole to come to school and resorted to more aggressive methods that involved taking off his prized possession.

"I don't need to take off any articles of clothing to get you to come to class."

"I would be so lucky." Cole mumbled.

James grinned again at his friend's usual dismissive attitude. He gestured behind him at the '76 orange Corvette sitting egotistically in the driveway. "Let's go."

"You're a dick." Cole said, unimpressed, but James was already striding back down the steps towards the car. With an exaggerated sigh, Cole snatched his keys from the table beside the door and followed.

"I stand by what I said. You're a dick. No one needs to look this flashy at ten o'clock on a Monday morning."

"Just keeping people guessin'." The blonde grinned sideways at him from the drivers seat as Cole climbed into the car. He rolled his eyes when James produced one-pair-of-many classic Ray Bans. It was sickening.

The drive to Holland University took twenty minutes. Cole could've been there in ten but unlike him, his refined best friend liked to obey road rules and drive the speed limit. It was like a disease.

"Seriously, pick up the speed, Clemonte. That bicycle just passed us. A fucking bicycle."

"Slow and steady wins the race."

"Is there a reward for winning this race? Cause if not, I don't fucking care about your Zen bullshit. At least do eighty."

James slid him a sideways look from the driver's seat. "You seem rather enthusiastic to get to class all of a sudden."

"Correction, I'm enthusiastic to get out of class. The sooner we get there, the sooner I can leave."

James only shook his head with an annoyingly-fond smile and pulled the car into an empty parking space. He cut the engine with a soft rumble and folded his sunglasses neatly into a small pocket. Cole rolled his eyes and got out of the car.

The large tanned-brick series of buildings that stood before him were nauseating. Cole took one look at them and said, "Well, we tried. Better luck next time, sport."

James pulled his best friend back out of the open car door and closed it behind him, locking the car to prevent any more escape attempts.

"Kingpin." Cole warned.

"We're already here. We're going to class."

Cole cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. "Your father did not love you enough, did he?"

To anyone else, Cole's question would've been crass and in poor taste. James smiled, golden and warm. "I'd like to think my father taught me everything I needed to know for a successful life before he died. A strong work ethic being one of them. The others would make me a fugitive."

"You just had to choose to be the Good Samaritan today." Cole grumbled. "Fucking Clemontes."

Any other time, James would've been grinning at him with an unapologetic smile, but his best friend was distracted by something across the courtyard.

Turning his head, Cole followed his line of sight and gagged when he found the source of his friend's attention. "Seriously, dude? You're still drooling over Bohemian Barbie?"

"I do not drool," James retorted, appalled by such an accusation. "And I wouldn't call her that to her face. Apparently she's an outspoken feminist."

Cole grimaced. "Ugh, feminists. Bunch of man-haters, that's all they are. They get off on shitting over guys."

"And that attitude is exactly why feminism is a much-needed societal transition." James smiled, not unkindly.

"Right. Whatever, feminists rule the world. Men are going to Hell. Cool. You're still ogling her either way."

"I do not ogle. I just think she's really interesting."

"People do not stare creepily across courtyards at people they find interesting."

Cole had seen the girl James was staring at around campus before. Her name was something like Penelope? Pepper? Pantene?

No taller than 5'8, her short black hair was dip-dyed in ocean blue tips. She was dressed fashionably in dark colours that complimented her light brown skin tone. Her makeup was immaculate with flare, accentuating her outfit right down to the thick-soled boots she wore on her feet.

Despite her appearance, this girl had a reputation. Cole had heard the rumours but didn't see the correlation between her style and butch personality. He was tempted to call her bluff given that she was flanked by two guys and talking animatedly to the one on her left. Cole couldn't see who it was since the guy had his hood drawn up to block out the cold weather.

The girl was pretty, but that's as far as Cole's regard for her went. He wasn't interested in a graceful figure. Or women, for that matter.

James said nothing so Cole scoffed. "Just go talk to her, man. Stop being such a pussy."

Perhaps James was too timorous to go and talk to her. Or it could've been the fact that he knew Cole would bolt the second he left him alone.

James' knowing grin was blinding, showing off a row of perfect teeth. "Come on, we've got five minutes until Art History."

***

"Why do they even call it The Assumption of the Virgin? I mean, I get that she never had sex and birthed the Holy Christ and all but I wouldn't want to be remembered for not fucking anyone my entire life."

"Your mind is a wondrous thing," James told his friend.

"Whatever." Cole scrubbed an uncaring hand over his face in exhaustion and yawned. "How much more of this do I have to endure?"

"Truman's class was cancelled today so that's all we had."

Registering what his friend just said, Cole cried, "Yes! Finally I can leave this horrible nightmare and go sleep."

Cole was studying the same course as James, meaning that they had most classes together. If it wasn't for Brendon, Cole wouldn't even be in university in the place. He stayed for James and James only, which meant taking the same course so he wouldn't have to endure the pain of boredom alone.

Cole didn't actually need to go to university, but he'd rather cut his tongue out and burn his skin with a hot poker than run the family business with  Brendon.

The truth was, Owen Decker, Cole's father, had left the estate and all of the accounts to Cole in his will. Such an act fuelled the spiteful relationship between the two eldest Decker brothers. It had never been said outside of Brendon's crass accusations but anyone could tell Cole was the favourite child.

Owen loved all three of his sons fiercely, he did, but there would always be that extra twinkle in his eye when looking at Cole. Speaking with Cole. Working with Cole. It was all Cole, Cole, Cole.

There was Cole and then there was Brendon, the oldest Decker brother. Golden boy, sweet talker, pretty-boy looks and raised to rule an empire, only to have it swept out from under him without so much as an explanation and handed to his detached, apathetic, younger brother who couldn't care less if the world burned.

It was unfair, and it was infuriating. Brendon had worked his whole life to one day take over his father's rule in the company. He'd taken advanced classes in high school, gone to college for business, graduated with Honours and established the perfect political career, all the while falling in love with and eventually marrying the perfect high-society, democratic woman, Lorraine Macklin, who spent her free time volunteering in soup kitchens and fundraising for global charities.

And still, it was Cole who their father left the company to.

Cole was only sixteen when Owen died. Still a minor with a mother incarcerated by depression, Brendon acted as regent over the estate and finances until Cole was of legal age.

Now, twenty-one years old with no interest in business and social standing, an empire waited for a man who had no interest in its throne. Amazingly, Brendon still found a way to maintain the hateful flame burning between the two brothers despite having everything he ever dreamed of with Cole's refusal to take over as CEO and President of Decker Petroleum, Inc.

The only reason Cole did anything was for James, and seeing as James was studying Political Science at Holland University, so was Cole. If he was going to be here, he would at least make it worth his time by seeing James each day. Even if he didn't hold a remotest interest in Political Science.

They'd been headed down to student parking when Cole realised his friend wasn't following. Turning, he spotted James a few metres back watching someone approach him.

It was the same girl as before, her blue hair blowing around her face in the early afternoon wind of Autumn. She was alone now. The hooded guy nowhere in sight.

Cole made his way to James' side as the girl came to a stop before them. She nodded at his friend and greeted coolly, "James."

"Piper." His friend greeted back, smiling at her. "Always nice to see you. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Piper. That was her name.

"Do you have the notes from Redmond's class?" The blue-haired girl - Piper - asked, shrugging her bag higher onto her shoulder. "We're supposed to start circadian rhythms today but I had to miss class for an appointment."

James reached into his bag and easily pulled out a perfectly-bound, spiral notebook. "Of course, here. Take all the time you need. I've got a backup on my computer."

Piper took the notebook and placed it inside her bag, nodding gratefully. "Sweet, thankyou."

Cole turned to James. "Since when do we take Psychology?"

His best friend smiled warmly, ever the golden-boy. "I'm taking it as an elective this semester."

"And why am I just hearing of this now?"

"I told you two weeks ago but I guess you were in one of your moods." James laughed once. "There's still time to change your units at student enrolment. Redmond's class wasn't that full this morning so there should be places still."

Piper turned to Cole then with an easy, "Do you always take the classes he does?"

Cole stared at her.

"Cole Decker?" she continued, raising an eyebrow. "We had a class together last semester? Political Theory 101?"

Cole remembered then, namely because James had spent half of class staring at Piper across the room with heart eyes. He reminded himself to make fun of James later for that.

"Oh." Cole snapped his fingers in mocking realisation. "Right. The girl who had an answer to every one of Frederick's questions. Don't you major in veterinary science or something?"

"Biochem." she responded, without missing a beat. "I took that class as one elective of six, though it makes sense you barely remember me since you spent half your time staring at the ceiling with a pencil in your mouth."

"It was a boring class."

"Professor Frederick does tend to run on," she nodded in surprising agreement, "though I suppose every class would seem like a waste of time when you don't want to be here in the first place."

Cole opened his mouth but James pushed his friend behind him and sent Piper an apologetic look. "Sorry about him. He doesn't tend to have a filter."

"It's cool," Piper shrugged. "He's right. That class was boring, but watching Frederick accidentally set fire to his sovereign politics diorama and have to pull the fire alarm in the middle of period made it worth it."

James nodded in enthusiastic attempt to keep up with her. "His lecture on Westphalian sovereignty wasn't the only thing on fire that day."

Both Cole and Piper stared at him. James blushed but his smile didn't falter.

Piper raised her bag in gesture at her side. "Well, thanks for the notes, James. I'll return them to you in class on Thursday." She stepped back, nodding at Cole before taking her leave.

James watched her disappear up the path toward the great set of brick buildings. Cole stood by his side and snickered.

"What?" James asked.

Cole sneered, "She is so out of your league, man."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, please." Cole scoffed. "That was like watching a train wreck."

James frowned slightly, looking puzzled. "I was just being polite. She missed the lecture and-"

"Okay, lover boy." Cole grasped his friend by the shoulders, steering him toward the car park. "Now that that's over, let's get the fuck out of here."