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[sub][color=8B10DE]Cole[/color] & [color=E0333C]Delaney[/color] Helmsley
[@LovelyComplex] & [@Melissa] Collaboration[/sub]
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[indent]The San Francisco skyline seemed to glisten in the mid-morning sun as the Helmsley siblings made their way up the coast for yet another year at Marble Heights Academy. Although their mother had insisted they take the jet to campus from their Beverly Hills abode, the two refused and opted to drive. They had sent the majority of their belongings ahead of them, which would be present upon their arrival at school, so all they needed to do was cruise from origin to destination.

Delaney sat in the passenger’s seat of Cole’s Black Dodge Challenger SRT Demon scrolling mindlessly on her phone as the engine hummed and music filled the rest of the silence that hung between them. Most of her feed was fellow classmates who had already gotten settled or were in the process of setting up in the brand new and shiny Oaklands high rise, which was making her more anxious about getting there and finding out who her suitemates would be. She wasn’t a fan of this random living situation bullshit, since she would have loved nothing more than to live with Addie, Annabelle, or Avery, but unfortunately for how much money they paid in tuition their requests weren’t taken into consideration. “Forging new friendships” her ass. 

The brunette turned to her brother, who’s eyes were focused on the road. [color=E0333C]“Let’s place bets. How long will it take for my new roommates to get on my nerves? I’m gonna give it a week, but even that’s generous.”[/color] Delaney mused as she continued to watch her feed as they got off the highway.

[color=8B10DE]“For you? I don’t think you’ll last a day,”[/color] Cole Helmsley took in the background noise of [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMy1qu5xpxk]Go Flex by Post Malone[/url], as his car breathed and ran on meditative bliss. The blacktop flow leading them to his final year at MHA and this, this drive? From Los Angeles to San Francisco was the beginning of the end for him. With purpose, the Helmsley heir smiled in the warmth of the sun ready to begin a new adventure at his home away from home.

Cole was aware after this year he would extensively work at his mother’s side to prepare for his birthright. He knew the responsibilities waiting for him after he grabbed his diploma and honestly? He was excited for that chapter. His mother would likely give him more time to ‘be young’ but to him, he lived free and happily for almost eighteen years. He didn’t want to waste anymore time and while he was [i]young[/i], he needed to make [i]moves[/i] for him, for his family, and for their legacy. No time worth wasting. That’s why he did whatever he could to seek thrills and go wild before graduation. 

He had the money and he made sure to use it. On the way, he found a sweet sense of freedom, he found lifelong friends, and he found honest love, even though that last one… he decided to let go. He knew he needed to let go. Now Cole was approaching the year he would transition from child to man. His boyfriend, while he adored him, and who was someone that matched him intellectually, could never be happy with him. Not truly. 

Jamie would compare himself to the standards of the Helmsleys, which was not an easy obstacle. It could either make you or break you. Jamie would realize he could never be with someone who lives for a business. Someone forced to social climb, someone who has to topple the competition not as a choice but as an obligation, and someone who can’t give him constant time, energy, and attention. There needed to be a line of trust that Cole knew Jamie could not give, at least not right now. 

Cole knew Jamie had his own ambitions and their ambitions wouldn’t align up. He had enough time to size Jamie up and saw something in him that he had in himself. A ruthless drive and a self-serving nature that would never accept being in the shadow of someone else. This didn’t mean Cole didn’t want a partner, but he knew that Jamie was not the one. It would be too messy and more effort than not to make it a possibility with higher probability. He needed someone that was helplessly in love with him and would compromise their future so they could work.

In Helmsley fashion, Cole made the decision for them both. To end things. To let Jamie Callaghan go because Cole refused to be the person to change Jamie’s future. Jamie had too much talent and potential, and perhaps this was his way of showing he cared, because he knew Jamie deserved better. He deserved the future he wanted and that just didn’t add up with Cole’s. 

Breaking out of his train of thought, Cole glanced over to his sister and mischievously teased, [color=8B10DE]“This is why I’m better than you. I’ve pulled some strings,”[/color] nodding his head to the music, he turned his gaze back to the road and disclosed, [color=8B10DE]“It’s just me and Anna-banana this year. Perfect case scenario. No bullshit, no drama, just me and the best of us all.”[/color]

The girl tore her eyes away from her phone as her brother revealed his adjusted accommodations for the upcoming year. Here she was thinking that he’d be suffering the same fate as her, but of course, he had other plans- as always. [color=E0333C]“You’re kidding me.”[/color] Delaney’s face contorted into one of pure disbelief. [color=E0333C]“So you and Annabelle are going to be living like kings in a dorm made for four and you're throwing [i]me[/i] to the dogs? Unbelievable…”[/color]

[color=8B10DE]“You’ll be okay.”[/color]

She shook her head in disapproval, returning her gaze to her Instagram feed before voicing her next thought completely unfiltered. [color=E0333C]“‘Does Jamie know about this little plan of yours? I’m sure he’s thrilled- he’ll be able to stay over as many nights as he wants to and not need to worry about bothering your roommates.”[/color]

[color=8B10DE]“I’m sure after today Jamie won’t care,”[/color] sighing to himself, Cole knew his sister would press on for details. She was nosy like that. Rather than waste either of their time and drawing out his response, he added, [color=8B10DE]“I’m breaking up with him, Lainey.”[/color] Knowing Delaney, she would assume the worst of her brother, like he already found another piece of meat and was discarding Jamie like trash. This wasn’t the case and quite frankly, he didn’t need to explain himself to her, only for her to give him grief when she hasn’t held a long term relationship; her longest being three months. [color=8B10DE]“No bullshit. No drama. No dating.”[/color]

The brunette raised an eyebrow, putting down her phone in order to give full attention to her brother and the situation. She was a little shocked, seeing as how Cole and Jamie had been going pretty hot and heavy since the spring, but if she were being truly honest with herself, the girl knew that her brother was focusing on the long haul as opposed to the short term. [color=E0333C]“And you waited until the first day of school to do this because?...”[/color] Delaney begged the question, wondering why if her brother knew where his intentions lay that he didn’t end things before the beginning of the semester. 

There was never a right time to break up with someone. If Cole did it before the summer, Jamie had his family sure, but what other distractions? This was a new year full of new adventures and a new chapter to be written. More importantly though? Jamie had his newspaper club to keep him occupied and he had his friends. Sometimes friends were better than family, but if Jamie did need support from family, Katie wouldn’t be too far away. Just in the auditorium, being a goddamn diva. 

Shrugging, Cole shifted to the right lane and unhesitantly answered, [color=8B10DE]“Because I wasn’t ready to let him go. How about you?  You haven’t told me anything interesting in a minute. The life of Delaney Helmsley isn’t [i]this[/i] boring. You got fuck buddies? An eye sore? Someone you want to stab with a pencil?”[/color]

[color=E0333C]“Don’t you [i]dare[/i] try and flip this on me, Coco.”[/color] Del accused boldly, her lips settling into a thin line as her brother attempted to deflect. He had a knack for avoiding problems and things weighing on his heart like the back of his hand, which made it difficult to get to the bottom of how he was truly feeling sometimes. But the brunette knew that if this was truly hurting him, he’d tell her, so she went along with his ploy and appeased him. [color=E0333C]“But since you asked…”[/color] Delaney took the free moment as they reached the topic to check her phone and see if she had any new messages, and when her notifications returned blank, she continued. [color=E0333C]“There is this one guy- the one I hooked up with at the end of last semester- but he is no eye sore or shockingly not someone I’d like to stab with a pencil.”[/color] 

[color=8B10DE]“So what you’re saying is you’re going to hook up with him again,”[/color] Clearly if this ‘one guy’ was worth bringing up in conversation, she was likely thinking about going for seconds, or thirds, or whatever number she was on. With Del, one could never truly know. She was a Helmsley and a teenager, so he had a hunch there was more to her life than she was willing to disclose. [color=8B10DE]“And don’t call me that. You know I hate that.”[/color] 

[color=E0333C]“I’m not saying anything!”[/color] Delaney blurted.

[color=8B10DE]“Yeah, definitely going to fuck him again.”[/color] 

[color=E0333C]“COLE!”[/color] The brunette reprimanded, dissolving into a somewhat anxious laugh. As much as she wanted to disclose to her brother about how she was feeling, this situation was a little bit… different. The guy in question wasn’t necessarily someone who her brother would approve of, nor someone who [i]anyone[/i] would really give the thumbs up to. [i]Lincoln Darby[/i] had a reputation, one that preceded him and definitely left a lasting impression. Even though he and Del weren’t anything serious as of the current moment, if her brother caught wind of the fact that she was getting involved with Marble Heights’ notorious bad boy, there would be no getting serious at all. 

[color=E0333C]“What I’m trying to say is that I have no expectations and I am just going to see where it goes.”[/color]

[color=8B10DE]“Huh.”[/color] This was a first for his sister. Raising an eyebrow, Cole pensively stared ahead, intentionally going silent. Whoever caught his sister’s eyes knew what they were doing. It was hard to catch a girl on fire, but maybe… she met her match. The thought of Del dating someone for a year or more did feel [i]weird[/i] but if the lover was worth it, worth the fight, he wouldn’t be opposed to the idea of a Delaney tamer. Then again, her long list of past lovers were [i]horrible[/i] and his faith was low. 

Still, he wouldn’t press. He’d wait it out, maybe look into it himself. However, right now he didn’t care enough to do so. It didn’t seem too serious, yet. Plus, he had a lot on his plate, like to break up with the editor-in-chief of the GGG. Changing the subject, he gestured ahead of them, [color=8B10DE]“Look.”[/color] They were on the side roads, heading near their school. From where they were, they could see the new high rise dorm buildings. 

Thankful for the switch in topic, the corners of Delaney’s mouth turned up into a grin at the sight of campus looming in the distance. The drive from Los Angeles had been long and the girl was looking forward to finally being back at school and seeing her friends. Pulling out her phone and opening Snapchat, she clicked a picture and sent it to both Addie and Avery, indicating that the Helmsley siblings were nearly there. [color=E0333C]“Thank god.”[/color] She breathed, not referencing anything in particular, but just happy to have arrived.

The rest of the car ride music filled the silence between the siblings. Cole had turned up the music, returning to meditating before the inevitable task he needed to do. His sister went back to her phone and he enjoyed the ending of his joy ride. Going straight in front of the entrance, he pulled up to let his sister out without having to walk much to her destination. Before he let her walkaway, he studied her face and [i]insisted[/i], [color=8B10DE]“Lainey,”[/color] he intensely locked his green-blue eyes with her brown, in an unnerving kind of way,   [color=8B10DE]“No bullshit. No drama. Whatever you don’t tell me, I will find out. I [i]always[/i] do.”[/color]

Delaney smirked devilishly. Cole’s warning didn’t really phase her, as much as he tried to, so she simply batted her eyelashes in return. [color=E0333C]“Scout’s honor.”[/color] She playfully brought her index and middle finger to her temple, saluting like a child would with a sash of badges. [color=E0333C]“Have fun breaking Jamie’s heart, Coco.”[/color]

[color=8B10DE]“You’re full of shit,”[/color] As he eased on the gas, he chuckled and teasingly retorted back, [color=8B10DE]“Have fun with your roommates.”[/color] Right before he went out of sight, he winked at his [i]adorable[/i] sister that he loved to hate and then went off to take care of business. Driving to the parking lot, behind the building, he dialed Jamie’s number. Putting his car in park, he listened to the callback ringtone, patiently humming to it, as he waited. Seemingly, Cole was relaxed.  

The girl groaned as her brother’s car disappeared down the road, remembering again that she was about to meet her random roommates for the year who she may or may not kill on first glance. She exhaled audibly, [color=E0333C]“This is bullshit.”[/color] Delaney murmured, walking into the Oaklands building.  
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