And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming/Or the moment of truth in your lies/ When everything feels like the movies/Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive.

Devon sank down into the first available seat he could find in his English class. He, for one, could not wait for this particular class to be over. He preferred staying over in the environment of NESCOM but had to go over to Husson for the “core” subjects like English and Math. He hated English and Math.

His gaze flickered upwards as the door opened and a pale blonde girl stepped in. Devon’s brain processed that he knew her as Ashley Leese but he looked back down at his notebook.

“What’s wrong cowboy?” A female voice asked from beside him.

Devon looked sideways to see that Ashley had sat beside him. He chuckled slightly, “Hey Ashley.”

“It’s the cowboy bit, isn’t it?” She asked with a sigh. “It was too strong.”

“No,” He shook his head. “It’s just that no one’s ever called me that before. Most people use that nickname for my brother.”

“He wants to be a cowboy?” Ashley was confused.

“No, his name’s Dallas,” Devon explained. “Our friend Lo started it to piss him off.”

“Was she successful?”

“I’d say so,” he shrugged. “He now calls her Lolita to piss her off. She pretends to hate it, but I’m sure she loves it.”

“Yes, because we all love being referred to as a pedophile magnet,” Ashley remarked dryly.

“She’s different then most girls,” Devon enlightened her.

“So is she the reason you’re all down?” She asked him.

“Yes and no.”

Ashley rested her head on her hand and looked at him expectedly. “So are you going to tell me all about it or am I to leave you to wallow in your own misery?”

Devon sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Fine, fine. My brother’s in love with Lola…”

“Well with a name like that…” Ashley cut him off. “Oh, sorry. Continue.”

“Which is a fact that I know well and true, and yet I still almost slept with her.”

“How old is she again?”

“I didn’t say to begin with,” Devon glared at her. “God, she’s seventeen. I haven’t turned into a complete immoral asshole.”

“Obviously since you feel guilty.”

Devon just rolled his eyes. All right, so maybe, just maybe he would enjoy English today.

Lola studied the row of lip glazes in front of her, studying each one with careful scrutiny.

“I can’t decide,” She finally admitted.

Aurora rolled her eyes and reached over to pluck a darker red one from the row. “Try this one.”

Lola eyed the container warily. “What is it?”

“It’s called Starlet Scarlet,” Aurora answered her.

“Obviously made just for me,” Lola replied jokingly as she opened up the bottle.

“I said it was called Starlet Scarlet, Lo, not Starlet Harlot,” Aurora teased as she began to search for a color of her own.

Lola ignored the comment while she applied the lip glaze to her mouth. “Keep up the cracks like that and you’ll sound just like Dallas Mariano.”

“How is it to have the cowboy in your house?”

“Utterly infuriating,” Lola admitted with a groan.

“It could be worse,” her friend pointed out as she chose a pale pink glaze. “Dallie could be ugly.”

“I think personality overrides any physical attributes he may have,” Lola grumbled.

Aurora snorted, “Lo, if that were true, you would not be the reigning Queen of Fantasies at Chilton Prep.”

Lola looked at her friend with a genuine glare this time. “I don’t ask to be desired, I just simply am. Plus you are talking of men, here. You’d think us women would be smart enough to choose personality over looks.”

“Oh God, don’t let me die laughing at that,” Aurora broke into a fit of giggles. “Lorelai Emily DuGrey, saying she chooses personality over looks? Might I refresh your memory?”

“I never said they had good personalities,” Lola said haughtily. “What’s got you so snarky today?”

“I’m never snarky unless you give me good reason to be,” She defended herself. “You have to admit you could do a lot worse than Dallie Mariano.”

“Could do a hell of a lot better, too,” Lola replied, eying her self in the mirror. Huh. She could almost believe herself on that one.