Cole

Cole, one of the main characters in the #LoveHacks series, is Mark's best friend and roommate. He is first seen in Book 1, Chapter 1.

Appearance
Cole has black eyes, short, cropped black hair and dark skin. He wears a moss green checked shirt and a gray tie. He says his face has a baby-like smoothness.

Personality
Cole is extremely confident, once telling Sereena, "You're just jealous...[of] everything about me". He always goes for what he wants when he wants it. He is calculating—usually the first one to come up with a plot for when something needs to be done. Even when his schemes give every indication that they won't work, he trusts in his abilities and follows through anyway. He is observant, having recorded Mark's "patterns" and Brooke's "Sphere of Prettiness". Despite their differences, Cole is a loyal friend to Mark, and wants to see him happy with the right girlfriend. He is also a loyal friend to the rest of the gang. He is accepting, and welcomes the main character into the group when he sees the goodness in her.

Cole is an entrepreneur and creates apps based on seemingly silly ideas that work, like being paid to wait in line for other people. He is crafty and intelligent, and his suave people skills are not just exclusive to his alter-ego. He is very narcissistic; he once claimed he had baby-smooth skin, and that his haircut is worth thrice that of Sereena's. He is openly bisexual, often seen flirting with any man or woman in his vicinity.

Cole is a very avid drinker, and his alcohol tolerance lets him win Red Herring every time, given that he's the one who can drink the most. In fact, he even has another alter ego, Drunk Cole, made up due to his frequent states of inebriation. In this state, he is very boisterous, tactless, and clueless of his environment; however, like in most states of drunkenness, he reveals his innermost feelings.

On another note,  Cole is often very ribald: he suggestively asked Mark if his relationship with the main character included copulation (sock-on-the-doorknob); he once asked Brooke to image-search an obscene slang term; he thought Keo's nickname was a gangbanger's one; and he used the symbolism of the eggplant emoji as an example on what not to text. He is also very nosy on his friends' romantic relationships: he was the one who coerced Horatio on both instances to woo Tara; he teased Sereena about finding love; he invaded the privacy of Mark and the main characters's relationships several times; and he spearheaded the group's suspicion of Keo and the resulting investigation of his "secret".

Background
Three years prior to the start of the plot, Mark was looking for an apartment room under the name of C. Coleman. He was greeted by a man who called himself Hidalgo St. Pierre, who had revealed that "Cole" had just left for the renter's agreement, and asked that Mark stay with him for the time being. Hidalgo then began asking Mark hypothetical but very specific questions involving roommate life with "Coleman". Suddenly, a woman named Sabrina entered, revealed that Hidalgo is Cole, and began flirting with him. Cole, desperate to rid himself of his ex, implored Mark's assistance, after which Cole became "eternally indebted" to him. This began their friendship and roommate life.

Later, both men went in The Double Tap, with Cole flirting with and buying a drink for a blonde woman named Brooke. Horatio, the bartender, went to the booths to break up a fight between Mark and Sereena, with Brooke and Cole coming with him. To settle who would get the booth, Horatio recommended Sereena and Mark play an improvised drinking game, with Sereena winning the first round and losing the next one. The game, which would later be known as Red Herring, went far into the night and bonded the five strangers into friendship.

Some time later, he and Mark had gone with Horatio to Venice Beach. As a young woman approached Horatio, Cole, drunk, blabbered flirtatiously about beer, while Mark who was also drunk flaunted his laptop and professionalism. Both then wrestled and argued with each other carelessly, until Horatio excused himself and the two and walked both of them back at their hotel. Cole and Mark later somehow escaped Horatio's watch and were discovered asleep on the roof of a police car. Cole regards this incident as very confidential.

Book 1

 * Chapter 1: This Story Will Change Your Life
 * Chapter 2: Telltale Signs Your BFF Is Into You
 * Chapter 3: 3 SF Spots to Visit Before You Die
 * Chapter 4: You've Been Breaking Up Your Friends All Wrong
 * Chapter 5: Do's and Don'ts of Double Dating
 * Chapter 6: 6 Things Only Country Fans Will Understand
 * Chapter 7: What The Media Hasn't Told You About Finding A Job
 * Chapter 8: She Dates A Bad Boy. You Won't Believe What Happens Next!
 * Chapter 9: 9 Things Only Attractive People Get Away With
 * Chapter 10: We Need To Talk About Rich Guys!
 * Chapter 11: 11 Times Geeks Gave Us Life! (Determinant)
 * Chapter 12: We Dated Three Guys At One So You Don't Have To!
 * Chapter 13: 13 Dating Fails You Have To See To Believe
 * Chapter 14: Don't Plot Sabotage Without Reading This First
 * Chapter 15: Why Sports Dated Have Us Hooked
 * Chapter 17: 17 Things Never To Do At A Work Party
 * Chapter 18: The Ending Will Blow Your Mind!

Book 2

 * Chapter 1: What Happens Next Will Shock You
 * Chapter 2: The Hot New Company Everyone Is Talking About
 * Chapter 3: These Cosplays Are Better Than The Real Thing (Determinant)
 * Chapter 4: 4 Things Cowboys And Bartenders Have In Common
 * Chapter 5: 5 Party Hacks All Millennials Should Know!
 * Chapter 6: The 6 Best Spots For A Guy's Night Out!
 * Chapter 7: 7 Things That Happened (And Stayed) In Vegas
 * Chapter 8: 8 More Things That Happened In Vegas
 * Chapter 9: Forget Everything You Know About Weddings
 * Chapter 10: 10 Surprising Foosball Tips
 * Chapter 11: 11 Signs You Grew Up With An Older Sibling
 * Chapter 12: 12 Things You Wish You Could Forget About Last Night
 * Chapter 13: 13 Times Burning Sands Was Lit
 * Chapter 14: The 14 Job Offers Millennials Get
 * Chapter 15: 15 Tips For When Family And Work Collide
 * Chapter 16: 16 Things Teens Don't Want You To Know
 * Chapter 17: So Your Roomie's Moving Out... Now What?
 * Chapter 18: This Series Finale Will Have You Shook

Mark Collins
Cole and Mark are roommates and close friends. Mark often berates Cole for his wild ideas, but in good nature. They are used to each other's antics and look out for each other. They have their own seven-part secret handshake, self-proclaimed theme song, and secret code.

Amir Hakimi
Amir is Cole's business rival. They first met while Cole was under his alter-ego Hidalgo. They immediately have intense chemistry. If the player chooses for them to go out with each other after their first meeting, Amir shows his admiration and respect for Cole's work in the industry throughout the date. Depending on the player's choices, they will start dating or just remain acquaintances. If Cole doesn't invite Amir to the party at the end of Book 1, Ben will compare Cole to Batman and state that Amir is Cole's Catwoman.

Main Character
Cole learns about Main Character through Mark in Chapter 1. He is friendly towards her and accepts her into the group as they all get to know her. Main Character calls him and Mark dorks.

Sereena Patel
Cole and Sereena are friends. As they declare themselves the "irrational" members of the group, they enjoy making trouble without thinking the consequences thereof, as when they crashed Leah and Camilla's dinner. The two have a penchant for teasing each other, with Cole joking about Sereena's short fuse and feminism, and Sereena joking about Cole's entrepreneurial eccentricity.

Brooke Williams
Cole and Brooke are friends. Cole was the one to coin the term "sphere of prettiness" in relation to Brooke's effect on people. The theory turns out to be accurate, much to Brooke's chagrin.

Horatio Santos
Cole and Horatio are friends. Cole and Sereena are usually the first ones to poke fun at Horatio's hipsterness. It was originally Cole's idea to help Horatio find a date, and it is from Cole's point of view that the player can choose to encourage Horatio to ask out Tara. Cole admits that Horatio's rage is terrifying, and tries to exploit this rage on others to get desired effects. Drunk Cole regards Horatio as "da best, nicest guy [he and sober Cole] know." The fact that he's willing to fight himself for mistreating Horatio and considers him a good friend more important than his phone shows how much he actually cares for him.

Trivia

 * Cole is shown on the cover of #LoveHacks, Book 1.
 * He bears a resemblance to actor John Boyega.
 * It is revealed in Book 2, Chapter 12, that he wanted his first tattoo to be a portrait of Steve Jobs and 2Pac as angels.
 * He likes drinking wildberry banana liqueur. However, his favorite drink is a chilled Imperiale without mint.
 * In Book 1, Chapter 11, if the player decides to talk to Ben about Cole, Main Character realizes she doesn't know Cole's first name; he goes by Cole because it's short for his surname, and all anyone knows is that his first initial is 'C'.
 * In Book 2, Chapter 17, it is revealed that his first name is Clarence, and maintaining its secrecy is a "sacred oath".
 * In Book 2, Chapter 12, it is revealed he calls his phone "Simon". Losing it is his greatest fear.
 * Of the many apps Cole has created, the ones mentioned by name are BeerMe, PlaceHolder, PastryDash, FriendlerZoom Premium Edition: Free, Blergle, and Cook4Me.
 * He had another one named "Hotlink", but it was taken first by an adult site.
 * In Book 2, he and Ben are also working on their ComicFeed app.
 * Pixelberry's blog states that his name was originally supposed to be Cole Minor as a play on words of "Coal Miner" before it was vetoed for obvious reasons.
 * Cole doesn't mind folding Main Character's laundry for a week in Book 2, Chapter 1, for he finds the activity therapeutic. He admits this after apologizing for his loquacity when drunk.
 * His address is 85 Guerrero St, Apt. 10.