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!.
It was a late afternoon, with classes done, Eva had no intention of going home quite yet. Despite her lack of friends, the teenager still found herself wanting to hang out in place outside of home or work. She told herself she didn't know why, that there was just a natural pull to stay out, but Eva knew why. It felt weird coming home to a loving family every day. Some days, she could handle it like it was the most natural thing in the world and Brandon and Jesse had always been her family, not the sad excuse that she had growing up and was cut short by her own life choices and her parents poor life choices to live a life of crime and piss off the wrong people. But other times, the Garnets weirded Eva out, like she couldn't comprehend what they saw in her or why they had wanted her in their lives. On those days, she just liked to stay out as long as possible.
Was she towing the line there between good girl and bad girl? Was she secretly hoping to get drawn back into her old ways or was she just looking to have fun like a normal girl? Eva decided that it was the latter, and accepting it as such meant that her brain could stop hurting from all of these stupid thoughts and fucked up emotions. What it didn't solve though was her lack of friends - something that she had had been unable to obtain since coming back into the society of Hickstead. Could her fellow students tell that she was from the wrong side of the tracks? Did her Manchester accent give her away? Or did they somehow know that she was coming off serving time in a juvenile detention facility? More questions that she didn't have the answers to.
So Eva did what she did best - shove those questions off to the dark corners of her mind and headed to the arcade. It was a dated place, it looked like it still was rocking the 80's life style but that didn't matter, since 80's and the trips down nostalgia lane seemed to be in with the adults. The teenager stepped in, the crazy lights and whirring sounds of the arcade games beckoning her to join in on the fun. Putting up her best 'cool girl' front, she shoved her hands into her pockets and waltzed over to one of the pin ball machines now. Hazel eyes took in the lights and design - set to Stranger Things, how appropriate - and placed in her coins. She leaned over it, poising just enough to attract any wandering eyes, and set off to earn her high score.
Seconds turned minutes went by, the score just kept on wracking up, and the lights and sounds would go off every successful strike as she set the ball back up, refusing to let it get past the flippers. Eva was in the zone now, unware of her surroundings as her hazel eyes occasionally glancing at the score. It was climbing and climbing. Holy shit. She may just pull it off. Crack the top three? And right when that thought happened, someone accidentally tripped into her and threw her off balance. Eva felt her pinball machine stardom flash before her eyes, "No!" It felt like it was coming out in slow motion as she side stepped sideways from the bump, her hand sliding off the flipper right as the ball dropped past the flipper and into the out hole.
Hazel eyes stared at it dumbfoundedly - the game was over. She then rounded her attention on the person, no, teenage boy, who had just cost her everything for the evening. Eva had been ready to lay into him, but one look at his face, made her second guess ripping into him. Yet, that frown remained on her features, "You cost me my high score." Eva didn't even bother trying to mask the pout edging into her voice as she really took a good look at him now. Cute but young, younger than her, with a mop of brunette hair. Maybe tonight was about to get interesting.
“I’m not saying that everything is survivable. Just that everything except the last thing is.” - John Green
[attr="class","character-skycalls-text"]Arcades were always fun because there was this sort of unspoken competition every time you stepped foot into the place. Instant adrenaline when needed. Maybe that wasn’t exactly the case when you went there by yourself though. Shit. Nash twisted his mouth as he entered the arcade, it was like stepping into a different world than the one out there. With the sounds alone he could close his eyes and know exactly where he was. He really missed coming here with his brothers and his dad but not as the family they were these days because they were literally falling apart like a cloud breaking open and pouring its shattered pieces out. Good times, not.
Everyone in the family seemed to be doing their own thing lately, whether it was pretending to keep the family going, beating each other or other people up or ditching the family all together but it wasn't like there was anyone who paid attention to him. Nash needed the attention, he thrived on it and it felt that none of his loved ones were acknowledging his presence by engaging with him in the way he wanted to. Was it selfish? Maybe? But God, he was bored.
Hickstead sucked. He would’ve been able to do so much more than visit the arcade for the umpteenth time this month if they had lived in the city. It didn’t matter right now, at least it was warm and dry. It didn’t look busy in the game hall today but it never really was on days like these. Nash looked around as he took off his jacket, heck it was almost empty in there. He scanned the room again, “But not completely empty” he said to himself as he spotted a cute blonde headed girl playing at one of the machines. Wait, he had seen her before! At school over the past week, she was the ‘hot stuff’ him and his friends had been talking about. Who was she? Oh, he was going to find out alright.
He had hit the jackpot for sure!
Nash trotted over while trying not to look too eager but nearly tripped over his own two feet, enthusiasm overcoming him as he bumped into the girl. Fuck. He straightened himself up as fast as he could when he heard the pouting words, a frowning face eying him as he looked up. It was still a cute face though, what was all the fuss about anyways? The fifteen year old casually leaned against one side of the pinball table and raised his eyebrow at the girl in a playful way, ”I can pay you back, any which way you like....” The words were laced with confidence. Geez, Breckah, where did that come from? Could he be more obvious? Could he even live up to it? Probably not but hey, fake it until you make it, right?
The next thirty seconds was pretty much going to plan the rest of her day with this kid, Eva decided. Either she'd leave him up to dry or she would have him tag along with her for the rest of the day and evening because the young woman had nothing better to do. There was something about him that also struck her as familiar. It would come to her sooner or later as her big hazel eyes just stared at him, meeting his blue green eyes. The boy gathered himself up now, and soon, he was leaning against the pinball machine as if he owned it. Cool as a little cucumber. Eva watched as he quirked an eyebrow, a playful grin dancing across his lips as he uttered some words, "I can pay you back, any which way you like....”
Okay, okay. The confidence oozing off of this kid was rather impressive, she would give credit there. He made the sour look melt off of her face as Eva laughed, "You're confident, kid, I'll give you that." Maybe she shouldn't call the teenager a kid, given that by any real adult's standards, she was still considered one at eighteen. But Eva wanted to be cool, and therefore, decided that it was okay to call him whatever she wanted. There was no doubt in her mind that regardless of whatever she called this boy, he would hang out with her all evening, "My name's Eva," she introduced herself with a playful smile, "And I believe you owe me a blue icee for ruining my game."
And with that, she stepped into his space, grabbed his arm, and gently pulled him along as they made their way to the offshoot café filled with sugary drinks and greasy food, "So what's your name hot shot? You look familiar to me..." and it was still annoying her, "Do we go to school together?"
“I’m not saying that everything is survivable. Just that everything except the last thing is.” - John Green
Maybe he was bold, brave, or cocky. Or maybe it was just insanity. Nash wasn’t afraid of anything and he usually went in full guns blazing when it came to any situation. He had learned from a young age that with seven other brothers you needed to get what you wanted when you wanted it or else there wasn’t anything left to get. If you wanted the attention you needed to grab it when the moment was there before it had passed and left you wondering what could have been. You had to be as confident in your ways to get to the goal even when it didn't always work in his favour.
Of course he wasn’t completely fearless because bravery only existed in spite of fear but this had always been his modus operandi. He had nothing to lose, right? Besides, this girl was cute. You had everything to lose in life if you didn’t grab it by the horns and after mum had passed he felt like he needed to get everything out of life so he stopped caring about the consequences because he couldn't lose much more than as he already had.
Entertainment, that’s what he needed. Preferably the kind standing across from him but mostly anything to keep that mind from wandering into the darker places of his thoughts and away from those pesky feelings. Nash was still leaning against the pinball machine as it started to make noise again, calling for its next player and the boy tried to keep his cool. He was cool, right? ”Confident is my middle name” he smirked. ’Kid’ Pfft, he snorted inwardly; who was she calling a ‘kid’ anyways, wasn’t she still in secondary school with him too? The fifteen year old decided not to voice it though, not wanting to spoil any interaction they had going for them at the moment.
Her name was Eva and apparently he was buying her a slushie. Mission Accomplished. ”Sure, yea. A blue Icee I can do, that’s all it costs? Cheap that....” Maybe he needed to quit while he was ahead. Nash grinned as he walked with the girl towards the cafe, or as he was basically being pulled along by her. Same difference. Hot shot. Okay, okay, he had made it this far at least, that was promising. ”It’s Nash,” he said and nodded, ”Breckah. Yea, I’ve seen you in the hallways. You new?”
Hazel eyes merely watched the boy, trying to look all cool leaning up against the pinball machine. The machine itself seemed to have enough of his weight though, as it came to life making its whirring sounds and humming off the Stranger Things themed. It seemed like a lost cause though, since the boy had yet to move. It became rather clear to Eva that he was eyeing her up just like she was eyeing him up, both waiting for the other to make the next move. Being older though, Eva had decided that she wanted control over the situation. Her thoughts were only driven home by the smirk that fell on his lips, "Confident is my middle name.” Laughter left the young woman, not bothering to hide it, "Well, its like your parents knew your destiny then, huh?" For a second or two, Eva was almost disappointed that she was too old for this kid. Almost.
The sounds of the machine were starting to annoy her, and crowd that had been around her started to disperse now that her attempt at a high score was over. Her request for a slushie was met with a grin, "Sure, yea. A blue Icee I can do, that’s all it costs? Cheap that....” She arched an eyebrow, "Do not finish that sentence." Eva ordered now, figuring it was nothing she wanted to hear, "It will spare you getting liquid dumped on you." Not only was he confident, he had a motor mouth to boot. And it was the sort of thing that could get a young person like him in trouble, something that Eva knew all too well from when she had been his age. So she tugged him along now, and mystery boy seemed all to happy to do so. Not that the young woman could blame him. She certainly thought herself as a hot catch.
Soon though, she had a name to the face, and it all registered, "Well, nice to meet you, Nash," Eva replied now, "You're with the theater crowd, yeah?" She was fairly certain they had their own little table during lunch if she could remember correctly. His last name was also something of a 'legend' at school. It was funny though, he didn't look like the sorts to be into that sort of thing - theater that is. He did look like a Breckah. There were a few at their school. But one should never judge a book, or perhaps a playbill, by it's cover. Nash turned the tables though, a question now aimed at her, "Yeah...newish. Transferred for my final year of secondary." Nevermind she should already be done with secondary, "Why? What are they saying about me?" Eva would certainly be curious in that if there was gossip going on about her, "Wait. Let me guess. That I am some sort of 'bad girl'."
“I’m not saying that everything is survivable. Just that everything except the last thing is.” - John Green
Eva was definitely a girl right up his alley. Maybe even a little cooler and more collected than he was, or at least that’s how she came across. There was no way he was ever going to tell her or anyone else that, nor was he going to admit to that, not even under torture. She didn’t seem to be afraid to speak up as well as speak her mind. It was something Nash had always tried to do, sometimes with a little too much bravoure than was actually needed but keeping quiet was like living your life with the handbrake on. Why would you ignore your own feelings and opinions when others would just roughshod over you anyways? Life was supposed to be fun and should not be taken so damn seriously.
’Your parents’. Ah. right. Them. Life’s curveball to his method of functioning. Okay, so lately life had been more difficult than he had ever experienced before and he wasn’t sure if things would ever calm down again but he really didn’t want to talk about them right now. ”Hmm” he acknowledged, the playfulness in his eyes never fading as he did his best to push the thoughts away. The arched eyebrow and the comment that followed made him forget about the grief and anger that had almost snuck up on him again, ”Ohh, so you think you know what I was going to say?” Maybe he was just going to mention the prices here compared to Willow Bridge City. Who was he kidding, she seemed to be one step ahead of him and it was both intriguing as well as annoying because he liked to be the quick-witted one having the upper hand. ”Fine, fine..,” came the smug reply as they entered the cafe part of the arcade.
”Nice to meet you too” Nash tried to flash her his biggest and brightest smile. Man, he was going to have the best story to tell his mates who had been eyeing the new girl over the last couple of weeks. ”Theater crowd, yea I guess you could say that,” he smirked before he continued, ”would be a shame to deprive people of this face up on stage now, wouldn’t it.”God, Breckah, give it a rest.”Transferred? Where from?” The polite thing would’ve probably been to ask if she was willing to share that at all but he was too curious. So was Eva apparently, ”Ha! Yea, I guess that about covers it?” Bad girl, hot girl, it all came down to the same thing, right? One thing was for sure, she was interesting alright and he certainly wanted to know more. ”So what’s your kind of crowd?” he asked as he started to dig some coins out of his pocket and ordered two blue slushies.
Eva watched the other teenager carefully as she delivered her words, and while Nash Breckah never seemed to loose that playful look on his face, his mind almost seemed to go somewhere else. Where, she wasn't sure, but it seemed to have something to do with his parents. For a moment, Eva herself, felt a twinge of a guilt, sympathy even. After all, she knew all about deadbeat parents and their lack of interest or love. It's how she got caught up with her old friends, who well, didn't really turn out to be great friends and left her for the police. But before the young woman could go ahead and apologize, Nash seemed to perk up, his eyebrows arching, "Ohh, so you think you know what I was going to say?....Fine fine”
It felt like a challenge, one easily matched to the one she had delivered just moments earlier. Eva simply smirked, going all in on the hot bad girl vibe that the school appeared to think that she had, "Well, it's not like you're my first rodeo, Nash." Bold choice of words, but she was feeling feisty, and clearly, so was her new companion. Might as well give him a tale to gloat about to his friends later tonight, if he should feel like it. Two can play at the cute smug game, and it was one she thrived off and perfected at Juvie. As they walked into the cafe now, the introductions were sealed, and besides her, Nash flashed her one big Hollywood smile.
She squinted a little, dramatically holding up her hand to block the 'light', "Damn, Nash, I think you might have blinded me," Eva teased now, a grin flashing over her lips before dropping her hands and carrying on. The boy confirmed his status as a theater kid, before following on with a textbook brag. It took everything in her power to not roll her eyes, "Yeah, I guess your mug is pretty cute. Don't tell your girlfriend I said that though." Although with a gloating attitude like that, Eva was willing to bet that he was 110% single. And then, the real probing came, "Transferred? Where from?" It was an innocent enough question, besides, she probably deserved it from eluding that she was a very late transfer. But did she have to answer it? The jury was out on that.
Still, Nash answered her own curiosity, that one Hickstead Secondary did indeed think she was a 'bad girl'. And yet, he said something else that piqued her interest, "You guess?" she asked, a question to a question, "As for my transfer. Let's just say I came from an exclusive, all girls boarding school." Hey, it was a close enough description, in fact, Eva thought she hit the nail on that one. They stopped at the counter, that blue slushie would be here soon, as they placed their order and he dug around for change, "Hmmm, I don't know what my crowd is anymore," the teenager mused out loud, "I used to just like getting into trouble because it was cool." Hazel eyes glanced to Nash now, "Guess I'm still trying to figure my life out."
“I’m not saying that everything is survivable. Just that everything except the last thing is.” - John Green
”Ah, so I’m a rodeo now?” he smirked as he eyed the girl next to him. Eva seemed prepared for just about anything, her wit and confident comments not missing a beat and it was exactly that which Nash enjoyed thoroughly, it was right up his alley and while he didn’t want to admit to it all she may even have a quicker sharpness than he had. Damn. Nash wasn’t used to that, sure, his brothers managed to throw whatever quips at him but that was something they had grown into together but it was expected even in the Breckah household. This girl, however, sparked an interest in the teen that he had not foreseen as he had walked into the arcade moments ago.
He had never been called part of a rodeo, it sounded pretty intense if he was honest but there was no way he was backing out of all this, he was enjoying himself way too much. The way Eva held up her hand made him smile again, ”Hey, you should try out for the school play, you’ve got the drama down at least” he fired back casually. Nash was starting to feel comfortable, feel as if he could get the upper hand in this bantering conversation, when it struck: No, he didn’t have a girlfriend. Before the teen could even answer it registered what she had said before that and he had to do everything in his might not to blush as the older girl had referred to him as cute. Cute. Him.”Too right I am,” he managed to blurt out, ”No girlfriend here though, gotta keep my options open…” Lamest answer in the book, Breckah.
It was true though, there had not been a steady girlfriend in his young years yet. He had kissed a couple of girls, of course he had, and while those girls may have thought he was their boyfriend at the time, he made sure never to agree to any of it. Nash liked exploring what else was out there, liked the attention more than anything and while maybe he had gotten to second base once or twice, things had definitely stopped there. But there was no way he was calling her hot like he had when he was with his friends. Eva had called him cute though, maybe he needed to give her something back? ”Some of the guys may have called you hot?” he said as if it was the most normal thing in the world, and he was pretty sure that it couldn’t have been the first time she heard that comment though. All you had to do was look at her.
”An all girls school?” That was all he took from her explanation, it was important and his brain knew exactly what to prioritize. ”Do you think they’d enroll me?” he joked as the same bright smirk made his way back onto this face and he waited for the slushies to be placed on the counter. ”Trouble as in bad trouble?” he asked, trying to keep things light even though he could see some hesitation in her eyes. He knew he really shouldn’t be asking things like this to someone he barely knew. Nash grabbed both the drinks as soon as they were done and motioned over, ”Come on, brain freeze waiting to happen”
Boy, did he really seem to be enjoying himself. Eva watched as the boy just bared his smirk for all of the world to see as Nash inquired about being a rodeo now. She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but to smile that that stupid infectious smirk of his, "Yeah, you're a quippy person. Of course you're a rodeo." The teenager probably could have thrown a bucking bronco or wild bull reference in there as well, but figured that would get to Nash's head and he'd spontantious combustion from whatever imaginative thoughts he had dancing in his head right now. With his prompting about how she should join the spring play, Eva just laughed, "Drama skills aside, yhy should I joint when I could just watch you from the audience?"
It was a baiting question. She was quite certain that she actually knew what he was going to say to her as to why she'd be better up on stage, because if he was Romeo for this play, then she could be his Juliette. And if that were the case, Eva was certain that his little sophomore brain would go into 'but then we could kiss and I'd whisk you off your feet' mode. She heard it all before, and not just from boys. Good thing she was quick on her feet with the quips though, cause right when Nash Breckah was looking certain he had gotten her, she had one upped him all together: the girlfriend comment. He almost looked deflated as he admitted to not having one, and Eva, for a split second, felt a little guilty, "Chin up. You'll be someone's catch soon enough and they can brag about having one of the cutest and most famous boys in Hickstead Secondary."
That ought to boost his ego just a little bit. Nash seemed to think that he had to compliment her back, since he informed her that 'some of the guys said she was hot'. Eva stared at him, letting a beat pass, before laughing, loudly at that fact, "Some of the guys? But not you? We may have to work on your flirting game if we're going to score you a girlfriend. Tell those guys of yours thanks for thinking I'm hot." Speaking of hot, he was already rolling with her former 'school' response of previously attending an all girls school for 'bad girls'. At least he seemed to buy it, verses realizing that what she was actually implying was juvie. For all the toughness that she had, Eva preferred to keep that part of her life rather quiet, "You could try, but I think you're too sweet. Probably get eaten alive." Heck, even some of the girls she had met there, the teenager wouldn't want to deal with them again even with her tough girl front.
Hazel eyes could see the slushies making their way to them, and just in time because of those next words that came out of Nash's mouth: "Trouble as in bad trouble?” Eva's jaw tighten just a little bit, trying to figure out how to get out of this when those slushies dropped on the counter and Nash grabbed them, inviting her for a brain freeze. Deciding to mask her hesitation with excitement, Eva's face lit up, "I thought you'd never ask. Come on, I know the best seats in the house." And with that, she grabbed her slushie from him and did the most distracting thing she could think of, she grabbed his hand and tugged him along towards the back of the arcade now where the emergency exit was, and more importantly, employee only stairs, "We gotta sneak through here to get to the roof. Can you be all James Bond light?" Eva asked in a hushed whisper, keeping a look out as her body tensed up, ready to make the dash.
“I’m not saying that everything is survivable. Just that everything except the last thing is.” - John Green
A quippy person was a good thing, right? Nash honestly had no idea what half of the things Eva was saying, or implying, even meant but he could roll with it. He was having too good of a time to give that up. None of his friends at school were going to believe he had been hanging out with ‘hot new girl’ though, so he needed to not fuck this up so that Eva would still say hi to him in the hallways of Hickstead Secondary. It certainly wouldn’t hurt his reputation, not that status was something Nash Breckah cared about because he really didn’t care if someone talked shit about him but this, yea this was different. ”Well I get that watching me from the audience is entertaining enough,” he smirked ”but we could always use people with good looks skills? Besides, it would be fun for you to get to work with me.”
Somebody’s catch. Ha. Most days Nash wasn’t even thinking about how to even get a girl to like him since he was too busy being his obnoxiously funny and awesome self that girls were pretty much intrigued by him anyways. But those were girls from his year, girls his own age. This was an older girl. ”Yea, yea, whatever” Nash managed to beam a little at just the thought of being bragged about. ”And I’m totally on top of my flirting game” he informed her, even though that was pretty much non-existent but she didn’t need to be aware of that. Yea, sure” the playful roll of his eyes made it clear he was not going to tell his friends he had told the new girl about their opinions of her.
”I’m tougher than you think but thanks?” He had no idea why he sounded pretty much defensive with every word that left his mouth but he really didn’t want to go and explain his family history to her either nor did he want to admit to probably being one of the least tough Breckahs. Nash wasn’t sure how to react as Eva’s jaw set, shit, this was going downhill fast. Thank goodness for slushies. He barely had the drinks in his hand when the girl took her cup and took a hold of the now empty hand. The smile on her face was way better than the tougher look she had given him just now.
”The best seats? Here?” Nash was whisked off before he even knew what was going on and led through the back and an area he definitely knew wasn’t where they shouldn’t be. Awesome.”I can be anyone you want me to be,” he said as he matched her tone, ”Our slushies will end up shaken, not stirred.”
Guess she wasn't the only one who got defensive about certain questions. Both Eva and Nash had met each other's perspective brick walls, and both were too willing to let each other in. That was fine though, it was only the first 'date', and who knew if they would hang out after this. Although in the short time of their acquaintanceship, the quippy fifteen year old had managed to win her over, and Eva Garnet decided that he may not be so bad of a friend to have in her life - that is, if he thought the same of her as well. Only time would tell, since he was never getting into her pants or touching her lips.
At least he was willing to be whisked off onto a wild adventure, which merely would be taking them upstairs and onto the roof, they just had to get there first, "Of course, here, where else would we go with our slushies?" Eva asked with a wry grin as she tugged him along before stopping dead in her tracks, pausing near a doorway as she football mom'd him in the chest with her arm and hand, making sure Nash remained right next to her and not ahead of her. Things could get tricky now, her James Bond comment said it all. Hazel eyes glanced back at Nash now, and it took everything in her power to not laugh with his next line: "I can be anyone you want me to be.” Yup. He was defilingly a theater kid. The follow up was better though: ”Our slushies will end up shaken, not stirred.”
She cracked a devilish grin, "The only way for them to be have, 007," she replied, and once again, returned her attention to their route. Peering around and looking both ways, Eva decided the coast was clear, "Come on," she whispered excitedly now, pulling him once more as they darted across the hallway and she tugged open the employees only stair well to lead them up. Thank god the teenagers that worked here where utterly lazy, since really, that door should never be open. She hiked up to the top and once more, popped the door open now and once they were out, she grabbed a small rock to place inbetween the door and its frame to ensure that they didn't get locked up here.
They were officially up on the roof now, overlooking over high street and downtown Hickstead, with the sun slowly starting to set in the west. Eva couldn't help but to smile now, staring out at what felt like her kingdom as she took a big sip of her slushie now - not even brain freeze and the chill of the February air could dampen her mood, "See what I mean Agent 007, best seats in the house." She glanced over at him curiously now, to see what Nash thought of it all before adding, "Don't be giving away my secret hangouts to anyone."
“I’m not saying that everything is survivable. Just that everything except the last thing is.” - John Green
