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!.
Charlie Braun needed fuel, and where to get that fuel was Starbucks – the lone one in downtown Hickstead. It was kinda nice to know that the corporate conglomerate only had one shop in all of town, it wasn’t like New York City where there appeared to be one on every corner just like Dunkin Dounuts. Maybe the sleepy town had it in writing that they would only have one, so it couldn’t starve away from the local mom and pop coffee and tea shops. Normally, Charlie liked to go to the these shops, but today, he needed his liquid fuel to be strong and bitter like his soul, so that meant Starbucks.
It didn’t help that it felt like the summer had been flying by, but he supposed working at a law firm and constantly studying meant that there was little time to act like a kid on summer vacation anymore. Charlie didn’t mind though, he tended to thrive on being busy and having nothing to do never seemed to sit well with him. The young man had always been like that, even as a kid. It was probably unchecked ADD or something along the lines of that, but he never had any issues studying so his parents and the doctors always let it go.
Pushing the door open now, Charlie welcomed the cool air conditioner against his face. He didn’t know what was going on in the world, but even the seaside town of Hickstead had felt unbearably hot as of late. So even if he was unoringinal in his coffee choice, he pit stop was a welcome break. And it didn’t seem too crowded yet, so maybe it wouldn’t take him too long to get his Blonde Red Eye and some sort of sandwich. Granted, its not as if he really had anywhere to be. It was lunch break after all. After putting in his order, he stood off to the side and it was there that he found a familiar face: Landon Drew. They shared a few classes together while Charlie had been finishing up Pre-Law, and the internship classes always crossed over between Pre-Law and Law, “Landon,” Charlie said curtly now, “How’s the summer internship going at the Police Station?”
We'll never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it
Summer time was the time in Landon's life where he was bored. School took up so much of his time during the year, it was odd for him to have nothing to do. The internship at the Police station was only a few times a week, though it was proving useful for his course.
He found himself at Starbucks, needing to do some research Kendra wanted him to do for a case. It was so intriguing that he felt it seeping into his private life. After ordering a chocolate cream cold brew and a grilled cheese. After using his gift card to pay, he stepped aside and let the next person behind him order.
Landon's thoughts went back to the case. It was a homicide and the police were having difficulties tracking down the killer. Tobias from the crime lab was proving to be helpful though. His thoughts were interrupted when a familiar voice greeted him. "Charlie? What brings you to Starbucks on a sunny day like today?" He stepped ahead and picked up his drink and sandwich before turning to face his fellow classmate. "Oh, it's going alright. Those officers are working me to the bone! In all honesty though, it's so much fun. Making me realize that criminal law is what I want to get into." He had the opportunity to watch police interrogations, though only when a lawyer was present.
"What about you? Did you find a summer internship too?" He took a sip of his cold drink, waiting next to Charlie for his drink.
For a moment, Charlie began to wonder if the other young man had even heard him. He appeared to be lost in the clouds, or at least, thinking about something. Right when he was tempted to say 'earth to Landon', since Charlie himself did not like to be ignored, did Landon appear to snap out of it. A snort of laughter escaped the young man at the question, "I need strong and bitter fuel for the day," he replied now - ignoring the fact that he also likely just had some sort of addiction to the drink and that might also be a reason why he was there, "Truth be told, you had never striked me as a coffee person. Maybe its just because I think this is the first time I've seen you there." Maybe it was the New Yorker in him, or maybe just the addict, but he could never understand people who didn't like coffee.
"Ah, glad to hear the police station is working out then. I'm sure it's exposing you to all sorts of things," Charlie commented now. He wasn't really surprised that they were working Landon a lot. Police stations always struck him as being somewhat hectic and chaotic - something the young man wasn't sure if he would enjoy. The idea of belonging to a firm always felt like a better idea, "I'm over at one of the local firms. Small, but nice and respectable. I'm doing paralegal work. After the summer, I am hoping it will just turn into a full time job and I will just balance it out with school work." His name got called now and he grabbed his coffee and sandwich bag, "Were you heading back to the office or were you going to sit here and eat?" Charlie himself felt a little different to the matter, but might as well offer.
We'll never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it
"Sounds like you need something stronger than coffee then." He took a sip of his chocolate coffee, glad that he finally could have a moment to himself. The man had spent way too much time at the police station, glad that the officers had sent him away for working too much lately. "Honestly, I don't really usually spend time here. I get my coffee to go and take it back to the office." Being able to mobile order while on his way was a blessing. "Do you spend time here often?"
He watched as Charlie picked up his own order. He knew most University students lived off of their Starbucks or coffee of choice - he was no different. "There isn't ever an end to things to do there. It seems that crime is on the rise around here unfortunately." He was used to Hickstead being quite quiet - especially compared to the busy streets of Chicago. "Oh nice! Which one are you working for? I'm hoping to get into that here shortly." He was happy for the help from his coworkers as they were familiar with the lawyers around town.
"I was going to sit down and eat. Apparently, they've seen enough of me at the station so I need a break. Would you like to join me or do you have to head back?"
A small chuckle could not help but to escape Charlie at the other young man's comment, "I always need something stronger than coffee." He probably had consumed so much over time that the caffeine affect might have dwindled and he drank it more out of comfort if anything, "Maybe I need a cleanse." But that sounded like work that Charlie wasn't sure if he had time for. He supposed it wasn't surprising to hear that Landon often just grabbed his coffee and left, he always seemed straight and narrow, but Charlie couldn't judge. People probably thought the same about him, "I like the wifi to do work here - just get a break from the office, campus, or my apartment."
With his food and drink in hand, the young man could turn his full attention towards the other now. He didn't cover criminal law, but it wasn't surprising to hear that crime was on the rise, "Ah. I think I've heard that around the breakroom." He commented now, taking a sip, "Shocking really. I feel like when I started Uni here, everything was so...quaint and quiet." Or maybe the abundance of street kids and that one gang had just gotten sloppy. Charlie didn't have much time to muse though as Landon prodded about his job, "Hmm? Oh, I'm over at Armstrong & Pierce. They're a little laid back, but they seem to have a decent work-life balance...not that I know much about that."
It was a little surprising to hear that Landon was interested in joining a practice, "I didn't realize you were interested in a private firm. With your internship at the Police Station and everything, I thought you'd go public or prosecutor." Granted, everybody was allowed to have a change of heart. There was no law saying you couldn't. His question about sitting around prompted an invite to join Landon. He hesitated for a moment before giving in, "Sure. Why not. Got no where to be and I need a break from staring at books and computer screens. Besides, I feel like I only know you as a classmate verses a person."
We'll never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it
Landon wasn’t expecting Charlie’s answer. He was glad the other man took it as a joke, though part of him wondered if it was true. “Uh oh, working too hard or too many parties to go to on the weekends?” No one would see him on the party scene - he’d rather spend his free time at the barn than drinking alcohol with people he didn’t know. “I heard those are terrible, though there’s always dry January or whatever they call it.” He had only heard people around campus doing it - his thoughts on alcohol were to have it on special occasions. Landon dealt with enough people at the police station to know what the substance did. “Have you thought of doing that?”
He took another sip of coffee while he listened to Charlie. “That does make sense. Is working there that flexible then that you can come here and work?” Landon usually did his schoolwork better at home - though he couldn’t do that with the confidential information he dealt with at the station. It was something that he was slowly but surely learning to do. They were nice enough to give him a smaller office so that he could adjust to the environment while he worked. “I know right? I mean where I’m from, this amount of crime isn’t too bad but, my family was expecting Hickstead to stay quiet. Any rumors on why that is?” Landon enjoyed discussing this with people - everyone had a different opinion on it anyway.
“That’s too funny. I’m thinking about going with them too. They offered me a job there too once I’m doing my practicum.” The police officers at work had spoken highly of Emmett and his partner at the firm. They were in need of a criminal law student and Landon was in the process of deciding. “So, no time for girls then?” Landon joked, not knowing Charlie that well - he didn’t know if the other man had a girlfriend or not yet. He turned and began walking to an empty table with two chairs. “Yeah, I figured I’d better learn from someone first before I switch. I like to think I know what I’m doing, but there's a difference between learning something in school and experiencing it first hand.” He shrugged his shoulders after he spoke. It was his parents who pushed him to change his mind about it. “Oh cool. I feel like I barely know you too other than from school. Here, you pick which chair you want. I’m really not that picky.”
Charlie was beginning to think that he might have come off a little to strong in his joke, given the follow up's that his classmate seemed to have on his well being like he might actually be an alcoholic. He supposed it couldn't be helped though. The young man knew he walked into that one, and Landon interned down at the Police Station and the British equivalent of a District Attorney's office, so he probably seen his fare share of fucked up people, "Nah. I haven't. But I'll give it some thought. I'm sure giving up alcohol for a few months would do loads for my physique. Maybe I can give the girls a show at the gym." Not that he remembered the last time he was at the gym, and quite frankly, there was maybe only one girl he could think of that he'd want to make blush over a muscle flex.
His coffee and sad excuse for a british bagel appeared on the counter now, which he grabbed and nodded for Landon to follow him to grab a seat. As he made his way to an empty table (sadly, all the window ones were taken), Charlie thought it over, "Eh. I can study here. I don't think Emmett would mind me working here - depends on the case though. Every case is private, but I feel like some are even more so than others." As for the rumors on crime, Charlie mulled it over for a moment before shrugging his hefty shoulders, "I think Hickstead is just growing. Plain and simple. People can blame that gang of kids all they want, but the truth is, they've been rather quiet recently. Small towns change when its population grows."
Man, he really was behind on the news at the firm though if Landon had managed to snatch himself up an internship, "Ah yeah? Well, sweet. It will be fun to have you there. I'm sure you'll find it a good change of pace compared to the police department." When the two young men finally found a decent table with two empty chairs, Charlie slid into one, putting his stuff down and finally, he could take a sip of that sweet ass coffee. At the prompt of a girlfriend or dating, he merely shook his head, "No time to date, I feel like I'm always studying and locked away at the university library or the internship. And, I don't know about you, but I rather date a girl who isn't in my line of work." Brown eyes watched as Landon sat down before him now, talking about first hand experience, and he nodded in agreement, "Yeah. Just have to take the good with the bad - and yeah," a laugh escaped him, "I don't think I really know you beyond the classroom either. So...here's to getting to know each other." And with that, he raised his coffee cup in a salute before taking another drink.
We'll never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it
Landon knew how people could be. Working at the Police Station meant he saw things that some people had nightmares about. He was thankful that he hadn’t ever seen the crimes happen, just what the criminals looked like and the interrogation process. “I mean it’s the balance. Alcohol is okay, just not so much as to lead to alcoholism.” It was one of the things that often led to domestic violence in the home - oh the odd law statistics he had in his head after reading all those law books. “All of the girls at the gym? Or just the ones that like to look?” Landon laughed, he didn’t go to the gym - it wasn’t really his thing.
He took a bite of his food, setting it down on the bag as the conversation continued. “True, you do have to take into account the case. Client confidentiality and all that. How does he treat you anyway?” He had heard great things about the firm and they were quite convincing in the acceptance email. He was thorough with his research in the different law firms in Hickstead. Landon nodded, setting his coffee cup down in front of him. “You think? Even after the barn fire at Blue Acres?” That case was still baffling the Hickstead Police - he had heard they had some suspects and witnesses to interview still. Landon only knew as much as everyone else, though arson could be a pretty serious charge - especially with people and horses getting injured in the process.
“Hey now, I do enjoy working at the station. I just feel that I need some actual law firm experience for school and such.” People often discredited the fact that he didn’t go work for a law firm right away, but as he wanted to be a criminal lawyer at the end - he wanted to see how things worked at the police station. “I don’t blame you on that one. Really? I thought you would have a girlfriend by now. Anyone catching your eye though?” Landon smiled and raised his coffee cup too, taking a drink after the fake cheers was done.
21 - LAW STUDENT - SINGLE - HETERO
