Marley - Roze | Nirvana | M: Open-ish

Marley had woken up at her usual time and had walked down to the pasture she left her gelding in for the night. Nirvana was casually rolling around in the dust, caking his fur with small amounts of mud.

Marley focused on the dun in front of her and his dirty coat. Nirvana had a cheeky look on his face, telling his rider he was happy with his state. She ran a few brushes through his coat and slipped a light blanket over his now clean body. Nirvana wasn't happy anymore and was flicking his tail angrily.

_

As she entered the small coffee shop on the corner of Main Street her phone buzzed. Marley shrugged momentarily and walked behind the counter where the sweet smell of roasted beans were. Slipping the small apron around her waist she returned to the cash register and waited for customers. Being only early still Marley had a tiny bit of time before rush hour hit.

She slid her phone out of her jeans pocket and pulled up the group chat. Marley let out a small groan, knowing no doubt the one person she wanted to see right now would be there.

[ Marley ] Sorry guys, work comes first. ] She typed in. It didn't really worry her, mainly considering the fact she had been horsey enough in the past few days. Just as she slid her phone back into her pocket, many people came rushing in and lining up. She set herself to work writing down their orders, giving them their food that they purchase and running the coffee to where it needs to be.

Samantha Starr / Mickey / M: Simon, Open.

Typical.

The soft buzz had woken her with a start,having been in a light sleeping state for the last hour or so.It was early,Sam realised with a groan as her eyes flicked to the alarm.5:30 early.Who on earth might be messaging at this time,waking her from possibly the deepest sleep she had had in quite a while?Well of course it was only fitting,Laurence would be - The central cogg to her inability to relax.She didnt know how to feel about this,the innocent enough group message evoking a mass of emotion all in a matter of seconds.It was a relief to see he was actually still with them,she assured herself as she showered - despite knowing she would have to shower again after her morning run, but it had been 2 weeks of no contact whatsoever.Her eyes dropped to the mirror before looking back at herself rather agitated.No contact with her.

"God. Oh yess Lovely Laurence. - I'd love to. - Pretty Please."

She mimicked the beeps of the phone as others began to reply,face now a full scowl as her finger flicked the chat aside to find another recipient.Sam knew it would be incredibly hard to avoid that chat like the plaugue,But she would darn try her hardest.

- Are you up?. -

A tiny smile crossed her lips as the reply came in a matter of moments,not even enough time to shrug a jacket on.Simon had become her only companion as of the last few weeks - the pair often accompanying eachother on a run with the occasional appearance from Tim.He was her rock in a way - not in the sense she relied on him to speak to ; more so that he didnt run away from her.Another grin was resisted as she rounded the corner to find him already waiting,as he always seemed to be.It crossed her mind on many occasions,as it did now,that he might actually be more perfect than her.

"Raring to go?"

- I figured you'd be up anyways. -

He gave a casual shrug,guesturing to her phone where another beep came before Sam quickly became level with his shoulder and the morning workout began.

Chandler | Aodhan, Marley, Sam, Simon

"You're such a dork," Chandler giggled, watching Aodhan dance goofily to a Beyonce song on the radio as they commuted into town. Sound check had come early that morning because the main room was reciving some kind of construction before worship that evening, and thus, the two sleep-deprived singers had found themselves hardly awake, desperately in need of coffee.

"Hey Marley!" Chandler waved enthusiastically from across the room as she and her best friend dawdled in line, the Aussie giving the American a hard time, childishly indecisive.

"What do you want?!"

"What do I want, Chandler? That sounds like a you question!"

"That's a gut instinct question! Just read the menu and order the first thing you see!"

"But...I don't like that one..."

Sighing, she folded her arms and grinned incredulously at him. "Just pick. Not that hard."

"Easy for you to say, love..."

They giggled and stepped up to the counter, where Marley was taking orders. Chandler gave her a warm smile and asked how she was doing. "I'll have the frozen coffee, if I may. Aodhan, have you picked yet, you big baby?"

He shrugged. "I just want something caffinated that isn't tea, I don't care what. Be creative," he instructed casually, though it was obvious he was slightly uncomfortable under the surface.

...

As the two arrived back on property, Chandler texted Simon and Sam, who seemed to be inseperable these days. The four of them had spent some time hanging out, and unusually enough, Sam seemed rather tolerable, moreso than she had at first. Nobody seemed to be able to explain the unprecedented docility.

[Chandler]: hey my favessss, are you guys back from your run yet? wanna grab breakfast and head down by the pond before the trail ride? u guys are doing that, yeah?

Marley - Roze | Nirvana | M: Open-ish

Marley watched them dawdle in. Her face dropped instantly. `` Oh god.`` The woman muttered under her breath. Seeing people you knew come into your workplace can be extremely embarrassing, especially if they were acting like this.

She took down the groups order and nodded slightly. `` I'm doing well. `` She told him with a small roll of her eyes, mainly as she wasn't in the mood for socialising. `` Your drinks will be ready soon.`` Marley added.

_

After a few moments to decide what to make Aodhan, Marley ended up whisking up an Americano. She slid the recyclable cups over the counter, took the money and quickly dissapeared round back.

Marlz waited until they were gone to go back out. She didn't want to be around him right now. She couldn't. Marley needed to focus on her work.

This is so bad it pains me, but I'm too inspirationally drained to re-write it. Sorry guys :

Cameron Fairfield | 19 | Group chat people

[Cam The Man] yee people, i'm totes with you guys. meet ya in a few mins.

Cam put his phone back in his pocket, head cocked in a jaunty grin. This oughtta be fun. The tiny text at the top of his phone had said 7:43 - he should probably get ready.

Showering and brushing his hair in less time than one would think possible of him, Cam ambled towards the barns with relaxed haste. That was one asset with his long legs; he could walk relatively slowly and yet still move fast.

The black stallion was in a foul mood when Cam arrived; stalling overnight had helped him stay clean, but definitely not stay calm. Snorting irritably, Luci stood grudgingly while the blonde worked around him, tightening the girth and running down the stirrups. He was unquestionably not a people horse.

Aodhan | Chandler, the S's

"Race ya," Aodhan dared boyishly, his lanky frame zooming across the lawn like a bolt of lightning. Chandler ran too, but her initial speed was exponentially faster than her final, especially with the dawning realization that his head start and his much larger frame put him at an iminent advantage.

Chandler unlocked her dorm breathlessly, feeling like she was gonna pass out but unwilling to let Aodhan win. As fast as she could, she tore her clothing off and replaced it with chic, stylish riding clothing, amounting in a lavender riding shirt and hunter green breeches. Sliding her slip-ons on hastily, she tore off across the lawn again, knowing her tactful changing skills would give her an advantage. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Aodhan closing in on her, but she was able to make it to the front of the dorms where the pair were waiting just in time to beat the Aussie.

"Sucker," she teased, brushing a strand of brown hair out of her face as she grinned at Aodhan. Still beaming, she turned to Simon and Sam. "Hey guys, how's it hangin'?"

As they began to make their way across the lawn, Chandler said, "I heard there's a hurricane coming this way, do you think Vermont will get postponed?"

Aodhan shrugged. "I'm not even going, but nah. I'll bet Asher will take you guys. It's not even like that stuff ends up happening anyway..."

"Well, most of the time. Yeah, probably. Are you worried at all, though? Like, even a little?"

Glancing at Simon and Sam, Chandler grabbed a tray and filled it with whatever they gave her. She was polite to a fault, and image-conscious as well. She'd accept food she didn't like, then feel bad about wasting it. It was a daily cycle--eating was traumatic for her.

"Anyway, Chandler's being a buzzkill with the hurricane nonsense. We should make a summer bucket list, and fill it will the most random stuff ever. Are you in? We should get Kierstan to do it with us, Dajana will probably bail since she's a trainer and has to be 'professional...'"

Rolling his eyes, Aodhan sat down on the end of the dock, Chandler beside him. She checked her watch responsibly. "No comment on the Dajana shade, but I'm down with a bucket list. Also, we have about nine minutes to eat if we want to get our horses tacked and get up there on time. Not that I think Laurence won't wait like ten extra minutes anyway just to be inclusive, but we don't wanna be the ones he's waiting on, agreed?"

Emily | Camden, Kierstan

Emily put the car in park, allowing the seven-year-old to emerge from his carseat with her assistance. She grinned brightly at him, his shy demeanor not lost in her eyes. She felt bad for him, for she knew how sensitive he was to what was going on, yet she knew this was the best she could possibly do for him at the moment. Emma and Riley had scarred this kid with no remorse, and now she had to try and fix it. That was a full time job, it seemed. Yet, she'd taken to parenting him like second nature, and had enjoyed having someone else in the big house she'd built for herself and only her. Life felt more normal, and more right than it had in a long time.

"Let's go see Magik, okay? Then we can do whatever you want until Laurence gets back."

Nodding shyly, Camden walked with Emily calmly into the barn, the polar opposite of what one would expect a seven-year-old boy to act like. In fact, it was the contrast of his own personality, his life fragmented by loss and trauma from a young age.

Sam / Mickey / M: Simon,Chandler,Aodhan,Open.

The strawberry -blonde had heard the sound of rapid footsteps thundering toward them without so much as glance in that direction,instead her gaze watching her companion's expression change and watch them approach for her.She could see the reflection in his adoring eyes as the pair pulled to a halt,waiting a few moments before turning to give a nonchalant nod of greeting.The words seemed unable to leave her mouth right now,even as the pair chattered endlessly on.For the last few weeks she had found it soothing - but now it only seemed to heighten her irritation.

"It would be a shame to make him wait."

Sam murmured simply,marginally expressionless as she sat and stared at the ring adorning her thumb - Occassionally twirling it on and off.With this she zoned back out,seeing Simon glance to her once in a while from the corner of her eye but glad he seemed to be more preoccupied with Chandler.As he always was.

' Bucket list sounds good to me.First thing on there is a tacking-up race right? - You wont come last at least."

He had chuckled and guestured to Sam playfully,nudging her shoulder to try get her involved she guessed.The woman didnt give him the satisfaction,offering a sarcastic 'haha' and continuing to play with her ring quietly - as ever lost in thought.

(*Prod*)

Samantha Starr / Mickey / M:Simon ,Chandler, Aodhan.

There was no such satisfaction as beating her companions at their own game - and with such minimal effort as not to have moved a singular hair.As soon as they had arrived at the barn,her bored eyes had watched the trio race around the hallways - a despairate rush to beat the other in this silly competition.It was simply a worry she seemed to go amiss,as they flew past her fussing over tack and odd grooming bits.Even Simon's odd comments and prods left her slightly smug gaze undisturbed,raising her eyebrows that little bit more with each one.

But there was nothing like seeing his face as she emerged from the stable,every little bit of confidence edged away and replaced with confusion and horror.Behind her was a Screwbald mare,with a stocky frame flaunting her eventing composition - expression remarkably dull with all the rushing around happening in the general area.But what was more notable,and relevant in this situation was the fact she was absolutely shinning from head to tail - and fully tacked.

-Oh C'mon Sam.Using Stable Hands wasnt in the rules.-

Simon whined,frustration knitting his eyebrows as he tossed the saddle pad over Ren's Sooty back.

"Rules?..Seems I found a Loophole in those huh?"

She offered a curt grin,a cheeky glint to her eye as she mounted the mare Triumphantly.Sam had been told on a multitude of occasions to get a 'feel' for her mount before progessing,which had always gone amiss to her.Feel what exactly she wasnt sure - All she felt was fat and unsuperior conformation.The horse beneath her was lacking the sensitivity that she was used to,Sky seeming Sluggish and stiff beneath her.Something that brought 'Mule' to mind..How had Simon convinced her riding the school horses was a good idea?This mare wouldnt even walk without an immense and constant squeeze,and Sam was willing the others to hurry.At this rate,she would be exhausted before the ride even began.