occupation: equestrian coach
neighborhood: outskirts of inman park
length of time in atlanta: ten years
trigger warnings: – miscarriage.
From the moment her hazel hues pried open within the walls of that the candlelit hospital room in the heart of Savannah, Georgia, Carson Bradley was destined for a life filled with adventure and expectations far greater than the weight of the frame that was meant to carry it. Only she never wanted it. Growing up the third child of Kristofer Bradley, an renowned judge, and Diane Bradley, a neurosurgeon, Carson was born into a family surrounded by nothing but bright futures and groundbreaking paths. Her eldest brother excelled in science and marine biology, going as far as MIT, before finding his calling at the Boston Aquarium, where he became a veterinarian. Her youngest brother, yet older than her, settled into law. Where he landed a job as an attorney in Georgia courts. Her younger sister, though still in college, was in the process of studying law as well. To be an environmental lawyer. Whatever that meant. Carson however was disinterested in everything that was offered to her. By the time she was 12 she was one of the most brilliant kids in her grade. Opportunities for gifted schools came swarming in, but she’d wanted no part in it. It was the same opportunities that had been given to her siblings, but apart of her knew she was not meant to have the same path. She wanted different things, and although she was young, she was aware of that much. Her parents couldn’t understand her, why she chose to ignore the gifs bestowed upon her, overshadowing them with days spent out in the fields of their ranch. Making friends with the horses, and twirling around in circles before falling asleep in the grass, making the meadows her bed. She was an odd black sheep in her family, one hidden beneath the white veils that her family placed upon themselves. They pretended to be perfect. They were Atlanta’s prestigious family, cursed with success and good looks—and above all happiness. But when the image faded behind closed doors another story was told. One that strayed far from the fairytales that laid neatly on her shelves. Tucked behind forgotten dolls and fake fairy dust.
With age came a new dawn for Carson. As she entered her freshman year of high school, she quickly fell into the activities around school. Sure, she wasn’t so interested in the science or history classes as her siblings had been. But she’d given in to the dance and cheers teams as quickly as her feet could allow her. There hadn’t been an equestrian club, but she’d made up for that when her feet landed in the gravel beneath her after jumping off the yellow school bus in the afternoons after school. Throwing her bag over the fence before climbing and hopping right onto her horse, Black Bird. They’d ride until there was nothing but wind in her hair, and an eclipse of fading sunlight into night on her skin. This was who she truly was. A dream chaser on horseback. Though she kept up the image at family gathering and events, wearing the cocktail dresses, and wearing the pinned up smiles and false laughter, she knew that her true self was covered in mud and dusts of weeds. Hands gripping the mane of her beloved animal as they rode across hills of life together. And while in school she grew popular and successful, with being rich, being a cheerleader, and making the top of her classes—it was unavoidable to be someone held highly in the likes of her fellow class men. But she was never as happy as when she was alone, a lost rider at heart and mind. And when her family made the decision at 15 years old to move to Atlanta, in hopes to start a new life in light of new promotions, Carson felt as though it were a sign to finally grow into her self. To live life the way she wanted, without fear of what others might think. And with this decision came the love of a lifetime. Found within the blue eyes of a rebellious boy, smoking cigarettes behind the school during fourth period. Her friends had quickly pulled her away when they’d noticed the boy perched upon the brick, looking dangerous and all the more mysterious. But apart of her had wanted to stay, lost in conversation with the boy cloaked in black and questions. And it wasn’t long until they’d bumped into each other again, this time finding time for exchanged words and hesitant smiles. Both afraid to let down their walls for another person so different from everything they’d known. The moment had only lasted for a few minutes, but it was enough to send both of them off with a funny feeling in their chests and even more questions than before.
By the summer leading into their junior year, they’d grown to be on opposite sides of the planet. He, getting in frequent trouble with the law, and ending up in front of the face of her father quite a few times—she, growing even more popular than before, and landing the senior quarterback, as many of the other girls in her grade only dreamed they could. Their paths hadn’t intertwined for two years, but that summer. That summer they’d found themselves more lost in each other than Carson had been with horses, and he had been with the law. And while her life was seemingly on the path to perfect,—the perfect family, the perfect friends, perfect future, and perfect boyfriend—she let go of it all, finding herself in the same predicament she’d always been in; her fate lying somewhere while her heart lied somewhere else. Drowning in the ocean that sat within that boy’s blue eyes. And naive to the tears that followed every time she’d witnessed his hands placed in another set of cuffs. Her family disapproved of the relationship quickly. Her siblings warning her that he would bring nothing but horrible things to her life she’d worked hard to build. Her father showing nothing but disappointment in her choice of heart, knowing full well what the boy looked like behind bars as much as he knew what he looked like with his arms wrapped around his daughter. Her mother did her best to advise her of otherwise, but knew that her daughter had as much control over her heart, as she did over her ability to keep up with anything but horseback riding. As time went on, Carson did her best attempts to keep hold of the person she’d grown to love, and the unlawful life he’d chosen to lead. But it all came crumbling down as their senior year came to end. At the crack of a skull against concrete was enough to seal the finale that cursed them. And with her first love—her first everything stolen away behind bars, she had to figure out how to plan out the next few years without him. Something she hadn’t foreseen having to do. They’d beaten all the odds, and yet still, they’d failed. And along with the loss of the person who grounded her, went Carson’s ability to keep up with her wild heart.
She stopped riding horses and after many months holding onto the boy she loved through glass window telephone visits, she’d picked up her bags and headed off to Colombia University Medical School in New York for the following 4 years. If things had been different, she knew that the person who knew her best, would have frowned at her decision. It was the farthest thing from who she was, and the last thing even her family had expected of her. But she’d needed an abrupt change. Something to thrust her into a new life she wasn’t sure how to start on her own. And for the most part it had helped immensely. Adjusting to being a medical student wasn’t the easiest of tasks she’d ever attempted to do, but the hard truth was that it was in her blood. She excelled in her courses, enough so that she grew the nickname ‘Doctor Bradley’ rather quickly amongst her peers. Her parents were finally proud of her again, her siblings closer to her than ever before. She was no longer the black sheep. And somewhere lost in the back of her memory, was a boy with blue eyes that had threatened it all, and a girl who’d wanted so badly for him to succeed. But college had changed Carson for what appeared to be the better, and for now that was what she had settled for. And 4 years later, she returned to Atlanta with a ring on her finger. Engaged to Tristan Harper—a cardiologist with a specialty in Carson’s heart. He was the son-in-law of her parents dreams, and Carson couldn’t lie when she said he was the man of hers. At 23 she was married, and thriving, much in line with the future her parents had destined for her all those years ago. She’d picked up a job at the Regional Hospital as a medical examiner, Tristan and she settling into a ranch much similar to the one she’d been raised on, and for a year—life felt complete. For one year, she felt as though she’d finally lived out the fairytale she’d always wanted.
But at 24, something changed. Her luck had seemingly run out. Five months pregnant, and glowing, Carson had waltzed into the hospital on Tristan’s lunch break, in hopes to drop him off some of her homemade food. But what she’d found instead was her husband having sex with his resident intern atop his desk—much to the horror of everyone involved. Carson had fled from the hospital, Tristan struggling to run after her with his pants falling around his ankles. And with blinding tears in her eyes, Carson had sped off, with no idea of where she intended to go. Though she didn’t get far. Dazed from what she’d seen, she’d hardly seen that the lights overhead were red when she’d sped through them only to be impaled by a four by four on her driver’s side. Tristian was not the only thing she’d lost that day. She returned home from the hospital a few weeks later, where she was welcomed with no husband and no child. Her siblings stayed with her for the weeks after that. Each one taking a shift of making sure she didn’t fall off the deep end. When weeks turned into months, her sister was the one who’d decided to move in with her, finding that Scarlett did better with her present, and not on her own. With the help of her brothers they altered the nursery to her bedroom, and the simple change alone was enough to bring Carson back to life. She decided it was about time she started living for herself, if she was ever going to be truly happy. And after much contemplation, she retired from the medical force, and returned back to her roots—horses. In addition to training courses to become a certified equestrian coach and the money she’d won in the divorce for infidelity, she’d opened up her ranch as "Bradley’s Horseback Riding”, where she would teach young kids ages 7-16 how to be equestrians.
Now twenty five, and a new person, Carson is content with her life in Atlana. She’s surrounded by the people she loves, and the things she loves most. Her heart is not fully healed from the damage that Tristan cost, but she takes pride in knowing her life is no longer lead for him, but for herself, and herself alone. With her equestrian coaching rapidly growing, she’s hired additional trainers at her ranch, and even expanded her stables. She only wants her coaching to grow into an empire hopefully. One that brings the fun and love back into the equestrian lifestyle. And with her families overflowing support, and the promise for a fresh start, Carson can only look forward to the future with a tough skin, and healing heart, and an open mind.
loyal, selfless, strong soul
wreck-less, lost, impulsive
with a southern heart came a southern ear, and with that came carson’s hidden love for music. she’d been gifted a guitar one christmas at an early age from her parents, and gifted a voice shortly after that from the fates that be. though due to her parents reaction to her love for equestrian lifestyle, she figured one guilty love was enough for her parents to handle. for the most part she only sings to her dog. as of recently she plans to sing to her daughter.
carson’s ranch is open from 10AM - 7PM. after hours you can mostly find carson at home with her siblings, or frequenting at the the local bars and restaurants. carson is also one to still love dancing so she may frequent at the club once a couple of nights. after all her twenties are not over yet, and she loves a good night out on the town. it allows her to forget her troubles if only for awhile. she has quite the welcoming personality, but you will notice a bit of edge to her as well, brought on from years of loss and betrayal. her trust is something very much earned not granted.
