The reddish-yellow glow of the gas lamp flicked across the room, lighting up the formerly dark room. Outside the window by the side hung the dark sky peppered with twinkling stars. At the corner of the room was a young man with dark hair falling at both sides of his face.

His hands flipped through the book on the desk he sat at. He had exams the next day and he had to finish reading it before then. Gerrard sighed. He couldn't wait to graduate from Cambridge and join the army alongside his father. It was going to be paradise on earth for him.

A cadence of laughter and chatter sounded behind his dorm room's door. Gerrard looked up at his wall clock. It was ten pm at night. What were they still doing awake?

There was a bang on his door. He ignored it the first time. The bang came again. He knew he wouldn't be able to concentrate if he kept dismissing the fact that a mad man was knocking at his door. Cursing under his breath, he walked over to the door in his white shirt and brown trousers.

He was flabbergasted once he opened the door. Standing at his doorway was the smartest boy in his class with two naked girls in his arms. Other boys were behind him chanting and drinking beer. What was the occasion?

"Robert, what are you doing here?" Gerrard asked, unable to get his eyes off the large breasts of the woman by the right. What sort of temptation is this?

Robert grinned and cupped the large breasts of the woman. "Do you like what you see?"

"N-no." Gerrard gulped. It was a bloody lie. His erection was already hurting between his legs. He had exams the next day. There was no time for this. "We have exams tomorrow, Robert. Why aren't you reading?"

"I've finished all the books on light physics," he said, a smug smirk on his face. Gerrard wouldn't doubt that. Robert was deemed the smartest prospect in their class. On some rare occasions, Gerrard managed to come out top of the class at the end of a semester.

"Well, I have not."

"Gerrard, there's a party happening outside the dorm." Robert spanked the asses of the women and they giggled. "You need to see these ladies. They're to die for."

"Don't be a pleasure killer, Finley," Another boy behind Robert said before chugging down on his beer. "Join us."

"I would love to, but I have to finish reading," Gerrard said, eyes on the large breasts before him.

"How about this, Gerrard?" Robert held Gerrard's shoulders, his blue eyes turning serious. "You come out and party with us all night. Tomorrow you'll get to sit next to me in the examination hall."

That was a tempting offer. Sitting next to Robert was an automatic distinction in every course they would write the next day. Gerrard looked over his shoulder at the book on his desk. He had barely gone anywhere. It wasn't guaranteed that he'll also finish the entire book if he spent the rest of the night reading it.

"What do you say, Finley?" Robert asked, kissing the large breasts of the woman on the right.

He stared at the breasts.

He stared at the book.

"Fuck, I'll be right there."

"Yay!" All the men cheered.

Gerrard just hoped he wasn't making a bad decision.

The next morning, he woke up in his dorm room with the busty woman from yesterday next to him in bed clad in nothing. Sighing, he rolled over her and smacked his head on the floor. He had a throbbing headache and when he saw all the bottles of beer on the floor, he instantly knew the reason why.

He looked up at the clock. Shite. It was ten in the morning. He was already ten minutes late for his exam. He quickly washed his face and slipped into his clothes, rushing out of his dorm room. After minutes of running, he arrived at the exam hall.

He had to find Robert and quickly. Luckily for him, the exam hadn't started yet. The examiner was still sharing the question papers. Robert was already neatly dressed in a black tailcoat, his blonde hair neatly styled. When did he get time to dress that well?

Gerrard jogged to him and noticed the space next to him was already occupied by one of the boys from yesterday. His heart began racing. What was happening?

"Robert, what's this?" He asked, motioning at the man.

Robert narrowed his cerulean eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"You promised me I'll sit next to you in the exam hall today. That was even the reason I left my room in the first place."

"I was drunk, Finley. Don't believe the words of a drunk person."

"B-but you can't do that," Gerrard said his eyes holding back the tears. Why would he think that Robert would stick to his words? He was the spoilt son of a Duke who only cared about himself.

"Mr Finley, find a seat or leave the room," the examiner said from across the hall.

Gerrard pursed his lips, the salty tears running down his face. This exam consisted of ten courses and it was one of the most important ones.

"Robert, why?"

"Don't ask me, Finley. You should've stayed in your room and read your books."

Gerrard cleaned his tears and took a different seat far away from Robert. At that moment, all that ruled his mind was the thought of how he wanted to ruin Robert's life for ruining his. His question paper was dropped before his desk and soon the exams began.

A month later, Gerrard sat on his dorm bed, his hand holding the letter from his father. His hands shook as he read each word.

Dear son,

I have always wanted the best for you. I have always wanted you to be the best. What is this nonsense I hear from your teacher about that Stark boy beating you in all classes? You were at the top of your class before he swept in. No son of mine would ever be second. As much as I hate to say this, do not write to me again till you beat him in grades. And if you don't do as I ask, I shall never write back to you. I shall not stand by and watch you become a second option. My regards to your mother.

yours truly,

Commander Edmund Finley.

This was what Robert had done to him. He had severed the bond he made with his father. Robert's father was his closest friend and his idol. That was one of the reasons he wanted to join him in the army.

As semesters came and left, Gerrard was unable to beat Robert's grades. Whenever he got home during the holidays, his father refused to speak to him. And this continued till

Commander Finley died. And the last time he ever spoke to Gerrard was in that bloody letter.

His father's coldness to him filled a hole in his heart. And Robert was the reason for it all. He was the reason Gerrard's father stopped talking to him till the day he did. And for that, Gerrard swore to make Robert's life unfortunate.

Gerrard couldn't be miserable by himself.

The reason for his misery had to suffer too.

*****