Arlette Wright/Reggie |

Staunchly avoiding the other riders she saw here and there, the brunette made her way into one of the barns, striding past various equines with a clear destination in mind. Her steps were confident yet graceful and elegant; it was as if she was floating across the ground. A momentary ray of light reflected off her eyes, bringing out the olive hues that were hiding amongst the mint. She was casually dressed in a short smock dress that reached to just above her knees. Her mousy-brown hair was pinned back, revealing the pair of studs in her ears. The gentle smudge of lip gloss was still visible, as was the light eyeshadow.

However, she also owed Kholo for the letting her and Hidalgo camp out here until his next race, and so, she would have to be civil and interact. "Politely, without anything that implies conceit nor talent in any form" according to her brother. She loved him to bits, but she couldn't understand where his odd patience and demeanor came from. Giving Hidalgo a final kiss, Arlette made her way back to the back garden, edging past everyone to grab her ice cream. Moving about here-and-there, she would throw a few sentences into each conversation before moving on. Having done that for a while, she decided that was enough to repay the favour and settled into a chair closer to the dorm house with a frown. There were many nonsensical chit-chat that she had to get involved in: something about school, complaining about parents and more and more. So her mood was already sour when she saw a familiar figure in the crowd. And unfortunately, so did he.

Reggie covered the ground between them with ease, and in that time, she'd risen up from her chair to meet him. "Ah, Reggie! You're looking good for someone whose borne of sin, no? Still living off of charity from your father?" Her eyes were lined with mirth that broke out in a small smile as she saw him clench his jaw. Clearly, she'd struck a nerve. Despite the temptation to dig into the sore wound a little more, she held back. "I suppose you aren't aware I was here. But there isn't much to really say isn't it?"

"I saw Hidalgo. I also follow the news. I also happen to get a message from a teensy little birdie that told me, to tell you, to get over us. And so what, if I am? At least I'm helping my father get into Heaven. You, on the other hand, are sinning by being jealous."

With that, Reggie spun on his heel and went back into the crowd, his face bright red from a mix of irritation and anger. Every encounter with her was a nightmare. Hopefully, she wouldn't get to any of the alcohol, because he wasn't going to babysitting her on Louis' behalf for anything. Recruiting himself another bowl of ice cream, he continued his red-faced prowling until he finally found Alex and Rena. Coming up to them, he started, "Let's go out to town." whilst shoving ice cream down his throat.

Rena / Vik | Alex, Arlette, Reggie

Katarena stood beside Alex for longer than she had really intended to, the mysterious presence forming something of a Bermuda Triangle that vanished all of her forward movement into thin air. In all actuality, maybe she preferred to be still and calm, maybe she didn’t enjoy socializing. Maybe she was downplaying her love of networking and socializing in order to gain Alex’s approval--it wouldn’t have been the first time she altered her personality to be admired by someone. Feeling the onset of a long and strenuous identity crisis she knew would linger for quite a while, she had chosen to stay quiet. She tried to shut her mind off every time it wandered to the conclusion that she was quiet because she thought Alex would like her better if she were quiet and introverted like him, but it kept running in circles. The only time it stopped was when she focused her attention on her ex and the girl he was making his rounds with, and she tried her best not to get jealous or hurt or even angry that he was here. She had come here to make a fresh start for herself and yet, here he was.

Her mind went back to Alex because his gaze had dropped to study her. She didn’t turn to meet him, knowing that it would scare him into never looking her way again. Instead, she drank it in from her peripheral vision while she thought about possibilities. She wasn’t surprised that she found herself infatuated with him--it was a cyclical pattern she followed, and she followed it to a t every time. She sought out the most mysterious, most wanted, most accomplished, most something man in a room, and she pursued him until she felt the earliest potential of rejection or until she discovered the real personality behind the facade and grew bored. She wanted a connection and all of her boxes checked, and it was a tall order that kept her primarily single. Being as fiercely independent of a woman as she, Katarena didn’t mind being alone until she found someone who could make her feel otherwise. And here at this party beside a mysterious near-stranger who still owed her a walk and an explanation, Rena was starting to feel herself come undone despite any effort to control it.

He said something, but she had only been half-listening. Her mind was a far more interesting place than the present, despite the fact that the very person on her mind was right next to her. She nodded and smiled, but she was sure he could see through her superficiality. She kicked herself for not being present despite the fact that she was never present in any situation, always opting to be a minimum ten steps ahead. Reggie approached, looking annoyed for some reason or another. He mentioned a trip into town they had loosely discussed during the ‘tour’ she had taken them on, which in hindsight was probably another excuse to get Alex to open up to her. Or maybe it had been to spend time with Reggie, who was quite drool-worthy but had quickly been pushed to the side because of her intrigue regarding the other. She had options here, though she hated to think about them so clinically. Or perhaps it was that she hated for someone to find out she thought about them so clinically. She nodded hastily, fishing her car keys out of a handbag she carried as an accessory. She noticed everyone else seemed dressed more casually. Was she overdressed? Did the guys find her attractive, or was it too much? Refusing to allow her emotions to have any merit, she muttered a word or two of agreement to Reggie before turning to Alex. “Are you in? You can totally say no if it’s too much on you, no problem on my end.” She oversold her lack of preference regarding whether he came or went as she often did, preferring to keep her dignity until something was a sure thing. She smiled gently up at him and crossed her arms over her top. The humidity had turned into dampness and she had become freezing cold. Though Viktor had offered her his sweatshirt, she turned it down for fear of reliance on another.

…

“Where’s Vik?” Her keen gaze scanned the crowd skeptically. Now that the auburn-haired girl had gone to mingle with another group, Katarena couldn’t tell Max apart from Viktor, and mistaking them was her worst nightmare. She walked a little closer to Reggie, who had gone with her to find the fourth member of their little posse. She stopped him suddenly, her expression serious. “You don’t remember what he was wearing, do you?” She sighed softly, almost in defeat. “You see, Viktor has a twin brother, and they are both here. His brother Max is my ex-boyfriend, and for obvious reasons you understand why I need to know them apart.”

Approaching him after a small period of searching, Katarena found him mingling with a pretty brunette girl that was dressed as well as her, if not better. She suddenly felt more comfortable with the choices she had made, though she was curious what Viktor’s motives were in talking to her. He seemed to be showing his usual tells of interest, which pretty much amounted to being more awkward than he was when he wasn’t attracted to someone. She seemed a bit younger than them, but the brunette reminded herself that it was none of her business and the girl was probably mature for her age. She made a mental note to ask him about it later, though.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, I just need to steal him for a moment.” She smiled in a genuine way and lowered her voice, saying, “don’t worry, I’m just his friend.” Winking gently, she pulled him aside and said, “we’re going to explore the town, you have five seconds to decide if you’re coming or not.”

“I’m in,” he agreed, glancing around. “Where are the others?”

Nathan & Kara Dubois | M: Kyran

Nathan sipped at his drink slowly as he listened to whatever conversation flitted his way. It was interesting, hearing the complaints, flirts and whatnots. It wasn't until his phone buzzed that he actually took notice of his surrondings. He took a cautious look around before pulling his phone out of his pocket.

[Kara] - Hey brother, I'm on my way up!

[Nathan] - Yuh okay. See you soon xx

Nathan popped his phone back into his pocket and walked over towards the table that he first arrived at. Filling his cup up he froze as he felt two small arms wrap around his waist. The familiar smell and giggle made him realise it was Kara. He spun around in her arms and pushed her backwards softly. " Good to see you again Kara." Nathan spoke gently. They hadn't seen each other since Nathan moved out a little over 6 months ago. " You too big bro!" She excalimed loudly. Nathan shuddered and looked around, and was glad when he realised no one had looked at them.

They walked back to his spot by a garden ledge and Kara sat down. They talked for a while about everything and anything, and at times were doubled over in laughter. Their conversation was cut short as a confident looking man walked up to them. " Oh no no no! Don't worry. We're always up for more conversation. I'm Nathan, and this is my younger sister Kara." Nathan smiled as he took the mans hand and shook it. Kara did a small hand wave and placed her hands between her knees in an almost instinctive manner.

Rena | Alex, Reggie, Viktor

Rena smiled softly at Alex, surprised that he had agreed. She hadn’t had to coerce him into coming, which was a little bit shocking. By now she was somewhat convinced his problem was something like hers: anxiety, trauma, something mental. Her anxiety attacks, other than coming in social situations where she couldn’t properly stimulate her mind, always came when she felt trapped somewhere. The car was certainly one of her strongest triggers, especially if she were to go somewhere with people she didn’t feel especially safe with and wasn’t driving. She second guessed herself, wondering if her wing four had overdramatized the situation and distorted it from reality. Had she tried to become him? Had she tried to make him her?

She had felt her own self start to get anxious, feeling the effects of a panic attack coming on. Uncontrollable nausea, dizziness to the point where she couldn’t tell up from down, her mind had gone completely blank and numb. She found herself mapping out the escape routes in her head and rehearsing dialogue that would get her out of the trip into town. She had a hospital vomit bag in the driver’s side door of her car, but being prepared wasn’t enough to save her from the terrible image it would cast on her otherwise pristine name. She refused to show people that side of herself, a side that denoted failure and ugliness. Yet, if she opted out, that would be a personal failure, and it would be five steps back in progress.

“Rena, you are good?” Viktor stood across from her, on the other side of a trash can she’d found herself hovering around. She’d taken a few deep breaths and said some prayers but she hadn’t put her faith in any of the techniques she practiced, and she hardly felt better. She nodded, her expression cold and undetectable. She was there but her mind was a million miles away.

“Yes,” she replied in a neutral tone, “let’s go.”

Rena was quiet the whole walk to the car and the entire drive over. Luckily it was her car and she was driving, which gave her something to focus on. Viktor had assessed the situation and was really very good about covering for her. It wasn’t hard to read her face, her entire demeanor had changed. His English wasn’t great, but he was trying now. He was doing his best to keep the focus off of her. Finally, they arrived in the middle of town and she pulled the car into a spot on the street corner. She put it in park and turned it off, getting out. Viktor’s expression was still unmistakably concerned. He hadn’t seen her have an episode since they moved away from his brother, who had brought an otherworldly amount of pressure and anxiety to her life. He had been sad to see Rena so hurt when they broke things off, but he was almost relieved to see her health improve. It was half of the reason he agreed to move halfway across the country with her.

He pulled her aside on the street corner. “Are you okay?” He had switched back to Romanian, mostly because he didn’t want her to lie if she knew Alex and Reggie were listening. She shook her head no.

“I don’t feel well.”

“Do you want to go home?”

“No, I have to make it through this. It’ll never get better if I keep running away.”

Gently, he enveloped her in a hug, and a tear or two fell down her face when he let go. She was feeling disappointed in herself, humiliated, and full of failure. She would do better.

Wiping her own tears from her eyes, she walked back over to the guys confidently. The nausea and the extreme dizziness had subsided some, so she could pretend now despite the anxiety that still lingered. “What do you guys want to see first? The shops are all closed, but there’s a park and some other fun things around here. If anything we can just walk around.”

Tryst Bergman, 19 || Livvie; Open

____

Nervous was an understatement. The brunette had only been an occupant of the equestrian center for a few days when the text was sent out to attend the social. Her meeting with the quiet woman in the barn had been a total failure she thought and her ride after was uneventful and painful on her legs. When the notification got sent out the girl hurrie dback to her quiet room to change into clothes that smelled less like horses and more like honeyed lavendar.

Her hair was pulled back out of her face in a half up half down number she had seen girls at her old school wear and she had opted for a casual pair of jeans with a white blouse and brown boots.

She felt truly invisible as she watched the other riders converse and squeal as they met with their friends to discuss how their days or weeks had been. Making no effort to try and interupt those in conversation the girl found a quiet spot near a table with food and drinks, she smilled at the cute deserts and fun decorations and gently thumbed her fingers over the table cloth that was bright and summery.

Not long into the pity party she had thrown for herself a young girl made her way over, and much to Tryst's delight she didnt dote that true American tone like most at the stable.

The girl who approached was bubbly and giggly and reminded Tryst of the fairies she used to read about when she was younger.

"No no, we have not met. My name is Trystan Bergman."

At this she extended her hand, not sure if the girl would shake it or not.

"Most people call me Tryst though. I just moved this week from Vermont but Im from Germany originally."

Perhaps she was oversharing but man did it feel good to see a face that seemed to want to get to know her. She glanced aorund at the others who were either talking or watching everyone talk and found herself smiling. She hoped that Livvie would take her around and help her get to know people as the girl seemed pretty familiar with the place.

"Youre not American either are you?" Tryst giggled. She enjoyed the comfort of the girl's accent and basked in its musical tone. She hadnt been in America for a very long time but she knew she wasnt a huge fan of the accent (or accents she should say).

Reggie | 24 | Fierce Credit + Dynamic Gamble | The Trio, sort of Vik and DB.

Finishing up the last of the strawberry ice-cream, Reggie’s eyes caught onto Alex’s slight smile. For a moment, it felt as if he had imagined it as the other male did not seem to one to easily break out in laughter. A small, cheeky smile spread across his own face as the other two agreed to his sudden suggestion. “Perfect. Now to hunt down an elusive Vik!” Reggie declared to Rena as Alex made his way through the crowd to the main tables, presumably to get some dessert. In his mind, he was already questioning what he said. Or rather, the tone of how he said it. Since when was he so upbeat? Perhaps, he was compensating for her quieter and reserved behaviour. Or maybe she was just cold, maybe?

Snaking past the small congregations of people with Rena immediately behind him, he startled slightly as she stopped him. Turning to face her, innocent surprise spreading across his expression as he scanned her face, uncertain why she looked so serious. His blue eyes were wide, his head tilted slightly to the side; he almost looked like a puppy – albeit a slightly distracted one – in the moment. So, it wasn’t a surprise that he was unprepared for her revelation. Identical twins – she dated one – hold on, two?!

“Woah! Damn!” there was a brief pause here as Reggie processed what exactly he was trying to say, “It’s always the identical twins that really catch us out, no?” Not that it helped because he instantly wished that he had stayed quiet. This really wasn’t going to help relieve part of her mental discomfort. “I mean, I think – what I’m trying to say – not that it’s a weird thing…is…you know what?” Reggie took a step back, looking away to clear his mind. Recovering, he looked back to answer, “He was wearing a jacket, last I remember. If that helps.”

Seeing as she didn’t really answer, he probably made her feel awkward. Not wanting to make it even more weird, he let her go off in one direction, whilst he continued in the other. It seemed fairly obvious that they’d meet back at the car park. It seemed he struck gold – the cheaper one, obviously – as he spotted some almost identical to Vik, but lacking the jacket. For a couple of moments, he continued to observe him – and the girl he was talking to – before deciding to go back to the car park.

On the other side of the party, Arlette observed another girl of a similar stature come up, sending a tight-lipped smile her way. Somehow, this dude and her had managed to keep a conversation going, and intriguing as it could have possibly been – come on, he’s Romanian, it’s a good going – it was getting slightly awkward, because she didn’t know a word of it, and he seemed to be slightly shy. He was quite attractive, in a foreign type of way. She was almost relieved when this new girl interrupted the conversation. This second smile was much warmer as she sent a thumbs up. “No worries – you came in on perfect time. He’s absolutely free to go.”

The three of them now at the carpark, they were just waiting for Alex, as it seemed. Vik and Rena were a slight way off from the car, seemingly discussing something. Not wanting to snoop into the conversation, he resolved to scrolling through his phone aimlessly until he sensed Alex’s presence. “Ah, we can all go now.” And it seemed that the other two were also done, since they were coming to the car. The first fifteen or so minutes of the drive was completely silent – they didn’t need a pin to drop to check the “Silence-Level”. Sitting at the back beside and equally brooding and silent Alex, attempts at conversation seemed to not be the way to go. Thankfully, Vik started up a conversation, and as slightly lacking on the English grammar as it was, Reggie was so relieved that he could’ve given the guy an Oscar. Suddenly, sharing a room with him wasn’t an issue. The topics varied slightly, going from football to high-school, their family. It was mostly him and Vik, with Alex coming in at some moments to impart a few sentences.

Internally, however, Reggie still felt apologetic, feeling that Rena’s tense mood was due to what he had said earlier and as they left the car, he was blinking slightly more often. In all the years he’d been alive, his tell-tale sign of guilt and remorse had always been his blinking. It was how his mother knew he’d committed a mini-transgression, because he would start the odd blinking action that reflected how he was busy thinking.

“You know, I’m feeling food. Meat and dessert; I’ll pay” A keen lover of food, despite his strict diet, his eyes locked into a little corner restaurant. One of those evening/night-time takeaway style things. “Wait a moment.” Not even looking back, he made a slightly more contented beeline to its doors, walking quickly. It was only a few minutes before he returned, swinging along two bags of food.

“Let’s go to a park to eat, since I got lots of stuff. I didn’t know if anyone’s a vegetarian, so I got a mix of stuff. Cakes too.”

And that was how they ended up on a park bench beside the playground, sitting under a lamp post. Unpacking the back, Reggie revealed his haul. First massive packs of chips, ketchup and mayonnaise tubs included, burgers, a humous salad, lahmacun alongside some other Turkish meals. “It was a Turkish restaurant, so I got some specialties. I got some normal cakes though.” It was his own small apology in a way. More so to his own guilt though.