Welcome to Hickstead, home to both Seven Oak Stables, and Blue Acre - two rival stables. Both offer opportunities for their clients to reach the highest level of excellence. Each stable differs from the other, so choose wisely and never forget, loyalty is everything... Meanwhile as the stables battle it out, there's trouble brewing at the university. Be careful, if you don't pick a side you may get caught in the cross-fire...
This is an chilled out rpg with a super friendly and relaxed atmosphere! Remember to sign up with your characters full name in all caps and don't forget to do your claims! Thank you and Welcome, we've been established since 10th March 2009 but unfortunately have had to close guest view of our boards due to multiple sites ripping off our hard work, such a shame! Come chat to us in Discord before joining if you like!.
Every once in a while, Wynter 'Wynnie' Moriarty needed a break from her three favorite places: the barn, school, and the gym. Yes, a crazy idea, but she always felt her life was go-go-go and once in a while, she just needed a place to reset herself and crash, or at least, get away from all of the things that made her life chaotic and fun and just settle down. Which is why she found herself on the beach one very chilly afternoon, hunting down sea shells. Wynnie tried to ignore the fact of how cliché and stupid it seemed as she carried her shoes in one hand, walking barefoot in the sand and stopping every once in a while to bend down and inspect a small shell in the sand. By no means, did she expect she going to find any sort of revolutionary shell, but it was still something to pass the time until it got dark, which unfortunately, seemed to be coming upon her now.
The young woman stopped, glancing towards the ocean and the setting sun. There was a distinct chill that would be coming with the roll of the evening, and yet Wynnie found herself not ready to go back to campus just quite yet. It's not as if she could sit on the beach in the cold dark though. Hazel eyes looked to the Pier now, with its flashy lights and snack stands and cute restaurants. Given the chilly air, she doubt it would be too crowded tonight, and maybe she could find herself something delicious to eat, that would be a nice change compared to the typical school dinner that she had to settle for. With no horse of her own yet, the young woman figured she could spare some of her future equine funds towards something hopefully fried and a nice piping hot mug of chocolate. So she abandoned her shells in the sand, and headed back towards the Pier, as fast as her short frame could carry her.
Once at the bottom of the Pier, she quickly wiped off her feet to free herself of sand before putting her shoes back on. The Pier greeted her with jolly music and bright lights and delectable smells. Already, she could feel everything just warm her body, the night was young and she was in a place where nothing mattered to her and nobody cared about her. Walking along the board walk, hazel eyes took everything in and decided to spoil herself first with a peppermint hot chocolate, and she didn't even care that it wasn't Christmas yet. Sitting down on a bench, she held that paper cup in her hands to warm her up while the peppermint wafted to her nose. A soft sigh escaped her, "Now, this is the life." She muttered now, lifting the drink to her lips and it felt like everything around her just melted away. Nothing was going to ruin this moment. Nothing.
"Shit." Zach knew he had been risking it with this one, but he'd been in the mood to cause trouble and the Audi had been sitting there, too tempting to resist. It screamed rich bitch, especially with the personalised number plate, and watching Plastic Barbie get out of the car and totter her way over to Starbucks in ridiculously pink high heels boots.. that had capped it. Not that he had anything against the way people dressed, and even he had to admit he'd gotten off with girls that looked like that before. Standards... what were those? Zach just knew the type though, and he felt like being an asshole. What better thing to do than take Barbie's car away and make her walk home? He didn't need to keep it, he didn't need to sell it for parts, he'd just leave it somewhere less convenient for them to find at a later date.
Naturally, it had an alarm, which he had anticipated. He knew cars, loved cars actually, even as he accidentally scraped up the drivers side door as he worked on making his way inside. That's when the patrol car had come past. No chance of denying the one - no 'sir I forgot my keys, it's mine I promise' bullshit. He ducked and ran. He could hear them on his tail within a second, the quick woop of the siren as they whipped around to play chase. Other people would be terrified - oh God they'd arrest him, they'd cuff him and throw him in the back, his father would be called. Not Zac. The grin lit his face, his heart hammering away but the adrenaline was a rush as he pounded down the street and took a short cut through an alleyway. They would be forced to pursue on foot, and he was damn fast - and had a head start.
He was surprised to see them still hot on his ass as he shot out of his alley way sprint, and he doubled his efforts- looks like he would need a crowd to lose them today. His brain was fast, and he was changing route before he even realised, a sharp left hand turn toward the sea front. The police were no longer in the car and were pounding pavement somewhere behind him. As the sea came into view he made another quick fire decision and picked the pier over the front. It was a bit of a dead end but it was busy; with the weak Winter sun out people were enjoying a liesurely walk in the fresh air. How quaint. He was flying down toward the end when he risked another look back, seeing them still on the promonade but heading his way. Another wide grin with the exhilaration of the chase, Zach kissed goodbye to his hoodie, yanking it over his head and chucking it aside for somewhere to save until later - he was warm from the run and they'd be looking for someone in blue, not the black t-shirt he was wearing.
Zach had stripped as he'd been turned the other way, and as he turned back following his perfect throw, it was just in time to save himself from a head on collision with a young woman. "Well fuck," He burst out, he was an asshole but he wasn't a complete dickhead. His hands reached out automatically, long fingers going to curl around her arms to give her a push away slightly so that his path was clear. He was an athletic kid - running from trouble did that to a man's physique - but even he couldn't save himself as he stumbled, dropping to the wooden slats with a thump and managing in the last moment to complete a haphazard tuck and roll. He stayed where he lay, his chest rising and falling in quick succession, flat on his back as he looked up at the cold grey of the sky. Then he let out a delighted laugh.
Wynnie had been so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn't been paying attention to the subtle sounds of commotion entering the board walk. They were just far off enough that it didn't register in her brain, they were just far off enough that she thought it would be a good idea to get up and take another stroll around because sitting too long - even with her prized hot chocolate - still caused the cold to start to get to her. Pushing herself up, her colorful combat boots alerted everyone to her presence as the young woman strolled on, hot chocolate in hand. And then, the unthinkable happened, the quick sound of thudding steps, the curl of finder around her arm, and then a shove off in a direction.
She had thought that she had known what it was like to see her life flash before her eyes due to the nurmours times that a horse has decided to dump her over a leaf or something else that was stupid. But nothing came close to watching that recycled paper cup of hot chocolate fall slow motion from her hands. Hazel eyes watched in horror it hit the boards, and with one bounce, the lid popped off, and the contents spilled everywhere. It took everything in Wynnie's power to not drop to her knees and scream bloody murder at the sky for this atrocity. So much for nothing ruining her night, she should have knocked on some fucking wood when that thought had entered her mind. Behind her, the young woman could hear some gleeful laughter that was just enough to make her blood boil.
The young woman whipped her head so fast in the direction of which it came, it was shocking that she had not given herself whiplash. Hazel eyes fell on a young man, who she probably only had a year or two on in age, lying on the ground with his head to the sky who had just let out of a laugh like he was having the time of his fucking life. Even weirder, he was only in a t-shirt which she couldn't understand for the life of her. Wynnie marched on over to him now, making her footsteps as menacingly sounding as she could before leaning just slightly over him, enough to earn him the biggest death glare in the world, "What the hell man? You owe me a hot chocolate for that. What the heck where you doing running around like that? The cops after you or something?" Okay, that last part she was being over dramatic, but it was hard to not be. RIP hot chocolate.
He'd already forgotten about the woman he'd knocked into. Not very gallant of him, naturally, to forget that part of his tale. He was too busy relishing the rush of adrenaline, the buzz beneath his skin from the chase. His father was going to murder him if he got caught again, but the thought only widened the gin on Zach's face. He supposed he probably looked quite manic, as opposed to dashing or charming like in the films when they orchestrated these 'meet cutes'. The big grin on his face, the laugh, the lack of attention to the other persons health. He couldn't feel the bite of the cold yet, the fast bumping of his blood kept him warm, along with the run he'd just given himself. He quit laughing after a moment, letting out a loud exhale as he felt his heart begin to calm, unable to hear or feel the pounding reverberation of footsteps heading his way - clearly he'd outrun his counterparts. For the moment at least.
Suddenly, his view of the overcast Wintry sky was interrupted by the appearance of a face he didn't know. Oh yeah shit - that girl. Oops. He hoped that perhaps she might find this whole thing funny, but even as oblivious as he could be, one look at her face told him she did not in the least thing this was amusing. The movies had that seriously wrong. "What the hell man? You owe me a hot chocolate for that. What the heck where you doing running around like that? The cops after you or something?" Well shit, she really was mad - and how had she known? That thought made him blink and he sat up fast - too fast. His head cracked hers, not having realised how close she was - and how short compared to his 6ft lanky frame. "Fuck," He muttered with a wince, clapping a hand to his forehead.. and then remembering why he had sat up so rapidly. "Are they still there then?" He asked suddenly, whipping his head around to try and spot the uniforms.
He couldn't see them, and he pushed himself to his feet for a better view, using his frame as a vantage point to check over heads of the crowd passing them. Nope. "You got me all riled for nothing, you little minx." He snorted, rolling his eyes, and then rubbing his forehead again with abandon. "Also, ouch, you have one tough skull." He complained, wrinkling his nose. A better man would have remembered to ask if she was alright, but he'd kind of forgotten that already, his mind running a million miles through their conversation.
Of all the things that could have been caused by her angry words, Wynnie had not been expecting the stranger to sit up so fast that his head cracked right into her forehead. She winced, pulling back from him as her palm came up to touch her head - attempting to not see stars right at that very moment. At least she knew that her skull had caused him just as much damage as he had done to her given that audible 'fuck' that escaped his lips. What came next was a little surprising, "Are they still there then?" She made a face that shockingly had nothing to do with the screaming headache that she found herself having now, "What are you talking about? It's a fucking expression. Do they not have that phrase in England?" The young woman knew she better watch her mouth, she had been public enemy number one for a few months now at Hickstead University, a title that didn't seem to be so easily shaken off much to her annoyance, despite being in the right.
But it was hard for her to not be annoyed at the young man before her who caused her to drop her hot chocolate and just cracked his head into her skull. It felt like he did zero thinking about anyone else but himself. The second that the thought crossed her mind though, Wynnie felt guilty. She shouldn't be lumping him into that category just yet, and she supposed she could try to be understanding. The young woman was good at being that - most of the time, when her stubborness and quick temper didn't get in her way. Hazel eyes watched as he craned his neck to look over his shoulder - heck, maybe he had been running from the police and his next words had her floored, "You got me all riled for nothing, you little minx." Wynnie nearly felt her jaw drop, "Excuse you, I am a third year! What are you? First?" And even worse was the follow up, "Also, ouch, you have one tough skull." With his nose crinkling, Wynnie could have decked him. Instead, she merely mimicked his nose crinkling, "Its thick to protect me from numbskulls like you," she muttered back before flopping over onto her butt now, joining him on ground as well, "So...why exactly were you running from the police?"
He winced at the smack of their foreheads, the dull thunk did not justify the amount of pain that kind of thing caused, and he rubbed at the spot, causing the red mark already appearing to get worse. Then the amusement of it all cracked him up instead and the pain was forgotten, his brain already skipping ahead, as it always did - no wonder the poor stranger looked confused. Sometimes he forgot other people didn't bounce from subject to subject, and couldn't read the thought process he was on. "What are you talking about? It's a fucking expression. Do they not have that phrase in England?" Zach blinked, not having even noticed she wasn't British - another of his wonderfully terrible traits. Not exactly the most observant kid, he tended to skip past details other people would pick up on straight away but hey, he liked to think of himself as being inclusive, and that it meant things didn't matter to him the way they sometimes did to other people. "What saying? I've just been in an exhilarating foot chase with the local uniforms so I thought you meant they were still after me," He explained, waving it off as if that was a completely normal thing to say.
Zach couldn't help but laugh at the expression on her face, "do you need help picking your jaw up from the floor?" He joked, perhaps that was a little on the mean side but it wasn't his intention - he was surprisingly not a mean kid, he just came off that way sometimes. "Excuse you, I am a third year! What are you? First?" His eyebrows went up for a moment, not having expected the turn in conversation. "What's age got to do with anything?" He asked, a little perplexed. "Its thick to protect me from numbskulls like you," He snorted at that, "there's a sense of humour in there? Excellent," He retorted, sighing before he finally bothered to get his feet underneath him and go to stand. "So...why exactly were you running from the police?" Zach shrugged, glancing in the direction they had gone. "Because they've got nothing better to do and I was bored." He lied, as was his usual prerogative.
Was it just her or was this kid staring at her like she had three heads after her little outburst about police sayings? Was her American accent just that off putting or did her words have a lot of bite? Apparently, it was neither after the young man spoke, "What saying? I've just been in an exhilarating foot chase with the local uniforms so I thought you meant they were still after me." Now it was Wynnie's turn to stare at him like he had three heads, "The cops were actually chasing you?" She asked now, a little dumbfounded, completely ignoring his earlier question. Staring at him, she couldn't possibly imagine why he would be acting like this was the most normal situation in the world, unless it was for him.
To make matters worse, he was still making fun of her even after calling her a minx, "Do you need help picking your jaw up from the floor?" Damnit, her mood was about to sour and when she fired back at him about the age difference between the two of them, he looked utterly perplexed, "What's age got to do with anything?" An ugly, frustrated sigh escaped her as her hands flung up, fingers curling as Wynnie tried to get a handle on her feisty emotions. Why are boys so dumb? Reigning herself in, she fired back, "Uh, because I am a mature young lady and clearly older than you so therefore you should not be calling me a minx!" The young woman was also certain that had Griffin Keller or her younger sister had heard those words uttered from her mouth, they would have doubled over laughing at her.
This young man though, no, boy, did not seem to give a fuck though, simply commenting on how she did actually have a sense of humor. Ah, so that was how this was going to be. Hazel eyes noticed how he was starting to get his feet beneath him so she back up now to give him room so he could stand up. And suddenly, Wynnie found herself wishing that he had remained on the ground since she quite suddenly felt very small compared to him. In fact, she had to crane her head up to look at him as he spoke, "Because they've got nothing better to do and I was bored." Well, that did it. She arched a brow before busting into laughter. After a moment or two, she finally caught her breath and finally said, "Buddy. You may be adorable and very charming to pull all a lot of stuff, but I have a kid sister. I know a lie when it's delivered to me." And quite frankly, she was going to brow beat him into buying her a new chocolate, so she finally said, "I'm Wynter. But you may call me Wynnie."
Zac was smart - in some areas more than others - and thought he spoke pretty good English, so he was a bit concerned (not uncertain, that word wasn't in Zac's repertoire) that she was just staring at him like that. It was a little disconcerting after a few seconds, as if he'd done something offensive. "What?" He asked, if only to break her out of it, though not rudely. "The cops were actually chasing you?" Oh was that it? Zac laughed and nodded, returning her look as if he also didn't get why she was confused. "Well yeah, they don't generally just go running about in their uniforms for exercise." though Zac felt like he was doing them a service by forcing it. Some of them had absolutely had one too many doughnuts whilst waiting on crime. At least he got their hearts pumping. Gave them a little bit of excitement to take home to their wives and girlfriends in the evening to sound interesting. Get the hearts pumping in any entirely different kind of way.
"Do you need help picking your jaw up from the floor?" His brows rose, but in delight. He liked someone with a bit of spunk, and she clearly had it in her. "No, luckily it's on a hinge." he joked back, grinning wildly at her. It was always like this after exhilaration, he was a bit overly carefree and wired, struggling to come down from the high, likely to go chasing another to feel at the top of the world again. It's when he got into most of his trouble, always taking it that step too far. "Uh, because I am a mature young lady and clearly older than you so therefore you should not be calling me a minx!" Zac was even more perplexed at that and tilted his head curiously, looking at her like she was a creature from another planet, as women were to him most of the time. "That doesn't make any sense. And how would you know if you were older?" he knew he might look like a young lad but looks could be deceiving. He used his boyish charms whenever he could, some people thinking him to be younger than he was because of it.
It felt a little odd to be looking down at her all of a sudden, but he felt good to be on his feet again, shaking out his limbs. He hadn't known what reaction to expect but the laughter was a surprise. He let out a slow grin, almost hopeful, that now she was going to quit berating him and play nicely. "Buddy. You may be adorable and very charming to pull all a lot of stuff, but I have a kid sister. I know a lie when it's delivered to me." Zac frowned slightly at that, he was very good at telling tales and spinning lies but he didn't always appreciate the accusations of them. "Little Minx, I wouldn't waste the time lying to you as a stranger." He shot back, watching her get settled back on her own feet. He'd had half a mind to offer her a hand but he didn't want to further offend her, given he seemed to be doing so with every word out of his mouth already. "I'm Wynter. But you may call me Wynnie." He was mildly surprised by that and another childish smile curled his lip. "Friendly name basis already? I'm honoured. And I'm also, Zac." He introduced himself in turn. No need to go saying his full name, he hated it with a passion and preferred to hide it if he could. No doubt the mouthy Wynnie would have delight in going around calling him Zachariah just as a form of payback for spilling her drink. He probably owed her a replacement or something on that front too but one adventure at a time.
She must have been weirding the kid out because it was now his turn to ask what was up with her face - only to be met with her question about the police. Waiting for an answer almost felt like she was waiting on baited breath, and the young man soon gave her one: "Well yeah, they don't generally just go running about in their uniforms for exercise." It took everything in her small body to not let a loud groan escape her, not only did she loose her drink due to this kid, she was also now probably hanging out with some scrappy and dashing criminal. What a night this was turning out to be. So much for peace and quiet, "Well, I guess you're doing them a favor," Wynnie replied back wryly now, "Although I hope you don't make this a habit." What was she saying? He probably did.
Hazel eyes rolled when he informed her that his jaw was in fact on a hinge, but there wasn't much she could say to that. After all, if one is witty, one can normally expect a witty answer back, "Well, thanks for clarifying." The conversation certainly took a turn though when he couldn't fathom why she didn't care to be called a 'little minx', which, Wynnie was certain just proved the idea in her brain that boys were stupid, and he was young. He was staring at her like she was utterly nuts before informing her that her words did not make sense. A frustrated sound escaped her as Wynnie threw her hands up in the air, "How does not make sense? Don't I look like an upper classman to you?" Maybe her height was working against her, not to mention, the frustrations this kid brought on her certainly left the young woman in a tantrum like manner - which probably wasn't very mature of her.
It didn't help how very tall he was, now that they were up, and he was standing over her like some hulking, lanky tree. Wynnie had to actually crane her neck up, and if he were any taller, she feared it might snap. She threw him a look when he yet again called her a little minx and informed her that he was not lying, "I don't know. I feel like a stranger is the perfect person to lie to," she replied back curtly. Unfortunately now, Wynnie felt a little invested in this conversation and boy. The whole situation was odd, but what the heck, the night was young and after everything at school with Alisha and Theia, it felt rather nice to have someone who wasn't out to get her: "Friendly name basis already? I'm honoured. And I'm also, Zac." Damn, that got to her. The young woman felt a smile creep up on her lips now, damn Zac and his infectious personality - it appeared to be like being mad at a dog, it didn't last very long, "Yeah, well, knocking me over and then saving you from the police feels like a first name basis, Zac." Okay, so maybe she didn't exactly save him from the police, but she liked to think that knocking her over felt like a distraction to where those police somehow lost him in their chase, "We might as well exchange numbers since you owe me a drink."
"Well, I guess you're doing them a favor," Zac's face lit up a little, "hey, that's exactly what I was thinking!" He exclaimed, glad that she was coming round to his line of thinking. "Perhaps they should be paying me for my services instead." He mused, knowing exactly how ridiculous a thought that was. "Although I hope you don't make this a habit." He raised a brow at her, "I bet you were a prefect in school, or head girl or something, right?" He guessed - the slightly above station no rule breaking attitude was shining through a little too hard and he'd seen her type many times before. "Besides.. a habit's something you do every day for like three weeks or something right? I definitely don't go cop chasing that often." Or should it be cop running, given that he didn't really go looking for them and all that, they just seemed to have a knack for finding him.
He grinned at the eye roll, enjoying how easy it was to needle her. "Well, thanks for clarifying." Even more amusing when she seemed more flustered and frustrated by his responses. "How does not make sense? Don't I look like an upper classman to you?" He peered up at her, giving her a good look and then shrugged. "Is there a certain way an upper classman is meant to look?" He retaliated, knowing that once people hit late teens they tended to merge ages with everyone of a similar age. Forget about trying to distinguish anyone between 20-30 and Zac had been stung before by guessing someone's age and getting it catastrophically wrong.
He raked a hand through his messy hair, causing it to stand on ends in a slightly crazed way. Reflecting his slightly ADHD personality within, really. "I don't know. I feel like a stranger is the perfect person to lie to," Zac tilted his head then shrugged, "You have a half point there, young Wynnie, I'll give you that.. but where's the thrill in it?" He looked afar, as if painting some magical picture, not a slightly sordid and twisted view of his world. "Think of the excitement of lying to someone who knows you better than you know yourself and getting away with it - you manage that and you should be standing in line for an Oscar." His whole life revolved around lying, particular to the people who loved him, and he had no idea how to quit now.
"Oh my God, is that a smile? Did I crack some kind of code? I feel like this is a momentous moment for us, Wynnie." He joked, laughing at his own idiocy. Anyone would think the lad was on drugs, but if anything, he'd likely be more sane on drugs than off them. "Yeah, well, knocking me over and then saving you from the police feels like a first name basis, Zac. We might as well exchange numbers since you owe me a drink." Zac bowed his head like a mock salute. "I guess I should be thanking you for saving this damsel." He laughed again then nodded and took out his phone, going to offer it over. "I'm trusting you to give me your real number then, as you want that free drink and all." Because his winning personality didn't always work on some, especially of the female variety. He never took it personally though, he was the kind to shrug it off and move on, and wasn't really bothered about girls and romance and all that crap.
A very, obnoxious sigh escaped Wynnie Moritary. In fact, it was so obnoxious she was actually disappointed in herself. Green eyes looked at Zach now, he knew the answer to his question already and yet he asked, "Guess you should do the police's work for them, you're very good at sussing out stuff." The young woman was tempted to not answer anything, but her sass already gave herself away as to whether or not she had been a type of American prefect in her middle and high school days, "My dad's in the military." She replied, figuring it said it all. Zach's quippiness was rubbing off on her though, sorta reminded her of her little sister. They may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but like it or not, he was warming her up now, "Ah. But clearly, you still go cop chasing even if it isn't all the time."
Oh, how he grinned at her when she rolled her eyes. Wynnie knew she was on the loosing side of a battle of wits now. She was far too easily baited for her own good, and perhaps too hot headed for her own good now. A bull in a china shop so to speak. Both dangerous and stupid, everyone seemed to know it too. The young woman watched how Zach peered up at her, defiant about her words and she could feel a bristle coming up in her, mainly because she could practically sensed he was going to throw something back in her face: "Is there a certain way an upper classman is meant to look?" God damnit. He got her there. Wynnie bit her lower lip, green eyes glancing away in thought, "I don't know. We just...do." It was a cop out, like saying 'because' and not following up to it. But Wynnie didn't care, she just wanted to win one pointed argument over Zach.
It was curious to hear Zach admit that he did a lot of lying, not to strangers but to people who supposedly loved him. Wynnie couldn't imagine doing that. She was more of a 'if i hide it, its not really lying' sort of person than a straight up lie. But ironically enough, Wynnie knew that she hated being lied to. Did that make her a hypocrite? She wasn't sure. Still, the young woman could not help but to ask, "Zach, why on earth do you like to lie to people you love? I feel like no Oscar, imaginary or not, is good enough for that." Granted, maybe it wasn't her place to ask such a thing either. What did she know about him? Absolutely nothing, other than he was an adorable sort of trouble. Not the kind Wynnie would want to snog by any means, but to look out for, well, it was quite tempting and she didn't even know why.
Still, he brought a smile to her face and lately, it felt like not very many people had that skill. Aparently Zach O'Dell did though and he made it known: "Oh my God, is that a smile? Did I crack some kind of code? I feel like this is a momentous moment for us, Wynnie." Well that got to her, that smile became a full blown laugh with a snort, "Yeah yeah. You won me over, kid." Damn his wild looks and infectious personality, or maybe she just really wanted that make up drink. Either way, the young woman was willing to sign over her sanity to him for a bit, "If you're the damsel, does that make me the knight?" She asked with a grin now, taking his phone and typing in her number before hitting save and texting herself, "Here - its my real number and I already texted myself. I never say no to a free drink, especially one that's owed after saving someone's ass from the police. Even if it was accidental."
"Guess you should do the police's work for them, you're very good at sussing out stuff." Maybe it was meant as an insult but he just shrugged, "I don't fancy it, they're too up themselves. I don't want to be shoving a stick up my ass just to join." He hardly noticed the obnoxiousness of the sigh. It was both a blessing and a curse when it came to Zach - great because people could be as sarcastic as they wanted and most of the time he just didn't pick up on it that well. So if someone was in a shite mood, they could let it out on him a little and it wouldn't make an impact on him, the down side was sometimes he lacked the ability to pick up when they were mad at him, or he'd upset them. "My dad's in the military." He raised a brow, "Does that mean it runs in the family?" He asked, unsure what kidn of answer she'd given him. "Ah. But clearly, you still go cop chasing even if it isn't all the time." His lips curled at the corners, "well, everyone needs a hobby." and this was a rather interesting one to have.
He was winding her up, he could tell, and he didn't mean to - he just had this habit of doing it. "I don't know. We just...do." Zach stared at her for a few more seconds, before he blinked and nodded as if he suddenly understand. "Right, right... very useful, thanks." and he grinned again, like the little shit that he was. "Zach, why on earth do you like to lie to people you love? I feel like no Oscar, imaginary or not, is good enough for that." Oh, so they were jumping right into that kind of topic were they. "Bit of a personal question for a stranger, no? Shouldn't you at least try to get me drunk first?" He deflected, waggling a finger at her as if to tell her off. "Maybe I'm not looking for trophies." He commented with a shrug, even if he'd been the one to mention Oscar's in the first place. He was not going into the whole psychoanalysis 'why though' games. He'd been forced into enough therapist's rooms.
Her smile full blown was really something, and he couldn't lie that he wasn't pleased he'd brought it out of her. "Yeah yeah. You won me over, kid." He rolled his eyes at the 'kid' remark - like a typical lad, he might not be trying to impress her but he didn't see himself as a child. "If you're the damsel, does that make me the knight?" Zach tilted his head and then shrugged with another grin. "Why not? Go with the times - men can be Queen's and women can be King's and all that." He had no qualms about it, it didn't really come into his brain. "Though you might need to clean your armour," after he'd knocked her down and all that. "Here - its my real number and I already texted myself. I never say no to a free drink, especially one that's owed after saving someone's ass from the police. Even if it was accidental." He made an impressed expression to see she had actually given him her number. "Respect, I had expected a fake." He admitted. "Guess I have no choice now but to cough up on my end whenever the knight calls." He added a mock curtsy for effect.
Boy, this kid was not one for the authority figures the way he talked. Granted, Wynnie didn't know much about the police in Hickstead, or the United Kingdom for that matter. Maybe they were a bunch of jerks with sticks shoved up their asses - she certainly felt that way back in the States and was pulled over for a speeding ticket. As she justified her attitude though, the boy seemed utterly confused as his brow arched: "Does that mean it runs in the family?" Wynnie just laughed, "I guess it does if you thought I was some sort of prefect in school." And while hazel eyes rolled at his cheeky 'hobby' comment, a grin finally sat on her face. Damnit. He won her over.
At least, for a second he had, they were already locking horns once again. God, it was like being back home with her younger sister. One step forward and two steps back. Sometimes she had wondered what it would have been like subbing Via for a younger brother - apparently it was the exact same. Her nose crinkled as Zach wagged his finger in his face, a rather annoying move if anyone asked her and lectured her, "Hey now, you're the one who opened the door for me to ask." Still, Wynnie threw her hands up in defeat, mainly because this was not territory she wanted to fight over, "Anywho, trophies are over-rated." That was a big fucking lie sometimes, but nobody was asking her opinion on the University Equestrian scene.
They were back on solid ground now though, laughing and smiling, the both of them. A fucking miracle given how everything started. She barely knew Zach, but damn, did he have a magical ability to rub off on her. Wynnie clocked him rolling his own eyes at being referred to as 'kid', which only made he laugh more. God, she finally had him. Still, he took everything all good and in stride, although the armor bit caught her off, "Really?" She looked over herself, "I don't think I look that disheveled." Plus, she had him to blame for that - but the young woman had decided upon a truce for the night - espeacially since she had given him her legit number.
A snort of laughter escaped her, far from lady like, just like his curtsy, "Yeah you do - come on, you owe me a hot chocolate while the night is still young. I'll keep you safe from any coppers."
He grinned easily at her laugh, finding it quite delightful - he always enjoyed getting a laugh out of someone, as much as he tended to more than likely get a rise out of them. That was sort of enjoyable sometimes too. "I guess it does if you thought I was some sort of prefect in school." Zach narrowed his eyes in consideration and gave her a once over, then scrunched his nose. "Nah, I don't think you're that far gone yet."
He could tell by her expression, even without knowing her very well, that he'd annoyed her. He was used to doing that though, it was how he could read her expression - he saw it all the damn time. Sometimes he didn't even understand how he'd annoyed someone, only that he did - and therefore he tended to breeze over it and carry on regardless. Not much finesse really. "Hey now, you're the one who opened the door for me to ask." He snorted at her dramatic response, "I was just seeing if I could wrangle myself a free drink," He shrugged, having meant no harm thinking they were having a joke. "Anywho, trophies are over-rated." Zach shrugged again, nonplussed. "Sometimes, depends on what the reward is." Not that money meant much to him when his father all but threw handfuls of the stuff at him.
"Really? I don't think I look that disheveled." Zach abruptly grinned, bright and wide. "You look better than most." Which was quite the compliment from him, Zach didn't really tend to do compliments, he was too busy with his attention everywhere else and not at noticing the people in front of him. "Yeah you do - come on, you owe me a hot chocolate while the night is still young. I'll keep you safe from any coppers." Well, he couldn't deny her that, and he gave a quick nod, "The deal is done, come on then, I know just the place." Which, for a guy who hadn't lived here long, was actually true. He spent most of his time traipsing the streets instead of doing school work, and when money was no object, you could afford to go places other people couldn't.
