MATTHIAS VELDMAN has been spotted in town. They have been living here for 1 WEEK in DOWNTOWN. They are VENTURESOME and PRACTICAL, as far as newcomers should be concerned when approaching them at THE OLD QUARRY where they work as ARCHAEOLOGIST.
Name: Matthias ‘Mats’ Christiaan Veldman
Date of birth: September 26, 1986
Place of birth: Abcoude, the Netherlands
Current location: Downtown, Ennora, New York
Occupation: Archaeologist, working at the Old Quarry
Faceclaim: Michiel Huisman
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TL;DR:
Matthias is a Dutch archaeologist who lost the two most important people in his life as a teen and then decided to leave everything he knew behind to become an archaeologist. He became pretty successful in his field at a young age and has been leading big projects for quite some time. During one of the more recent projects, Matthias met a colleague and he fell for her pretty much instantly. Though, she mysteriously left after a very brief romance. Once he found out she’d returned home to Ennora, he decided to apply for a job there himself. Hoping he could ‘accidentally’ bump into her again. Either way — life away from all the grief he suffered is everything he needs.
Mats is a big camper, loves the outdoors and will likely be out on a hike with his dog Beau. He loves working with his hands, but can also often be found in a park, reading a book.
Matthias grew up in Abcoude, in the Netherlands. He had a fairly normal childhood. His father was absent for most of it, he’d left his mother when he was just a baby to start a new life with an old flame. When he was five years old, his father already had three other children with his new family and he and his older sister started to get less and less time and attention from him.
His mother was a fantastic single mother though, and Matthias never wanted for anything.
School was easy on him. Perhaps too easy. He never really had to put in any hard work and therefore had plenty of time to play around, have fun and live in his own imagination for most of the time. Especially when he’d breezed through his homework and his friends were still struggling with it.
At fifteen, he was at home with his mother when two policemen showed up at their doorstep. His sister had been in a big car accident while biking home from a party. She’d done everything right. Was the sober one accompanying her friends home and making sure everyone was following the traffic rules. A drunk driver ran into the group of three girls and none survived.
Matthias really struggled with the loss of his big sister. She was his whole world and he would’ve done anything for her. The first five months, he coped by dulling his emotions. Drinking, smoking weed and removing himself from everyday life. He skipped school and isolated himself completely.
It wasn’t until he found his mother sobbing in her bedroom, crying to his aunt on the phone saying how she was afraid her now only child would be gone soon too. Either by drinking or smoking so much he’d get addicted and distance himself from her forever, or by becoming a drunk driver himself.
He never told her what he’d heard, but he quit every vice instantly. He returned to school and had to work harder than ever to catch up. His favourite teacher made sure he could come in during the holidays to get some extra classes and help to catch up with the rest of the class.
To this day, Matthias will not drink more than one drink a day to ensure he’ll never get addicted, nor that he’ll be on the wrong end of a drunk driving accident.
Once he’d sobered up and caught up with all his school work, his full attention went to taking care of his mother. She fell ill when he was 16 years old, and eventually passed away when he was 19. He’d delayed attending university to be the full-time caretaker for his mother, but once she was gone and there was no one left in his life to take care of, he decided to apply and study Archaeology.
He’d always had a big love for history and the sciences, so it seemed like the best way to go.
After university, he landed a paid internship in Egypt and worked there for about half a year. His mentors were very impressed with his work and invited to work with their crew full-time. With his main interest in the Mediterranean area, the crew was a perfect fit. They travelled around the area and worked several big sites.
Travelling and working was most of his life, he wasn’t great at sitting still, as it reminded him of his life before work. It made him feel the emptiness that he’d been running away from through travel.
About two years ago, he worked a job in Egypt and met a woman he got to work with. Jacqueline and him were assigned the same hotelroom by accident, and since it was the tourist season, all hotels in the area had been fully booked. There were two options: make a big fuss and hope for the best, or accept that he and his new co-worker could live together in the same space for a while.
He offered to take the couch to make the woman more comfortable, but there was an immediate attraction from his end. She was more distant and had nothing but sharp remarks, which somehow charmed him even more.
After working together for a little while, the sparks started to fly a bit and the two shared a kiss. Not too long after, the woman disappeared and he never saw her again.
He had asked around and learned more about her past and eventually learned that she’d returned to her hometown. After well over a year of trying to get her out of his mind, Matthias decided to look into Ennora. He checked the job openings at the archaeology site. For five months, there were no openings, but when there finally was one, he immediately applied.
He’d been living back at his hometown in the Netherlands, but knew that it could never feel like home again without his mother and sister. A possible move to the other side of the world, while incredibly crazy, seemed more and more like a good option for him. What started as a crazy chase after the ghost of a former flame suddenly became a reality when after a few online interviews, Matthias got the job.
He immediately ended his lease at the apartment in Abcoude and booked a flight to New York. With his favourite girl —his golden retriever Beau— and suitcase in tow, Matthias was ready to start a new chapter. While he wasn’t sure whether small-town life would be for him, there was one thing that had kept him going over the past two years. The idea that maybe one day he’d see her again.
Raika took several quiet seconds to process the explanation, her composed features remaining unchanged as dark eyes lingered on Pippa with the same measured focus she devoted to diagnosing a complicated electrical fault. When she finally spoke, her voice was even and unhurried. ❝ There is no need to apologize. I was not attempting to be nice. It was simply the most logical conclusion. Your fair complexion and facial structure would complement those dungarees more effectively than mine. ❞
Having settled the matter in her mind, she gave a single approving nod at the clarification about the farmhouse, mentally cataloguing the scale of work it would require. ❝ I am an electrical technician at Ridgeway Electric, ❞ she smoothed the sleeve of the shirt she still carried before a rare glint of genuine enthusiasm flickered in her otherwise reserved eyes. The very thought of having come upon a new puzzle to solve excited her internally. ❝ If you intend to restore the property, I would like to assist. Electrical systems are my specialty, but I am competent with most repair work. Restoring a farm from that condition appears to be a...worthwhile undertaking. ❞
The other was quite difficult to gauge from their expression alone, so Pippa decided to give up on that altogether. The young woman seemed more than clear in her comments, so if there was something she’d need to pick up on, it would likely be vocalised anyway. “Still, it’s very kind to not go for it yourself. I mean, if you like it, it really doesn’t matter that much if it looks great on you or just good.” Pippa shrugged. “Are you sure?” She didn’t feel too comfortable just relying on the other’s analytical conclusion. She didn’t want her feelings to get hurt, or for her to regret giving up the pair of dungarees so easily.
“Oh shit, that’s so cool.” Pippa let out as the other mentioned their occupation. And at their offer, Pippa stood up just the slightest bit more straight and her lips turned upwards more and more. “I could definitely use some help with the electrical systems and wiring around the house.” She confessed with a soft chuckle. “I’m no expert at all, so I’m figuring things out as I go, but it would probably be a good idea to have an actual expert do the work on the important stuff. So please, if you’re interested, I would love your help.”
Erik took his hand out of his pocket to reach forward and take hers, holding it for a few seconds longer than needed. "Pippa," he repeated, the corner of his mouth lifting a touch more, finally releasing her hand. "An interesting name." Erik could be accused of a few things now that age was chasing him, but losing his appreciation of beauty was hardly one of them. His gaze moved over her as if he was trying to figure out her place in his theatre and play, and he felt a touch of secrecy, a touch of drama. If he were writing, he would have added a pinch of heartbreak. But, of course, all people live similar lives even though some experience things differently.
His pale eyes moved away - running through the people setting the stage around them, the flats being shifted, the lights adjusted overhead, the low murmur of preparation, shuffling feet and moving hangers. "You seem rather at home here already," he observed, turning his attention back to her. "Most new volunteers usually spend their first days trying not to be in the way, or looking as though one wrong step might have them kicked out... You don't." There was no accusation, only that smooth, amused certainty of a man who had spent too many years watching people in theatres to miss the difference.
There was slight discomfort when the man repeated her name and commented on it. Did he know more about her than he let on? Was she really not as anonymous in this new town as she’d thought? Maybe the show had been more popular in the States than she’d considered beforehand. Or maybe it was just the paranoia. The fear of judgement. Of never being seen as her true self again. At his comment, she was shaken from her spiralling thoughts and she let out a soft laugh as she glanced around. “I’ve simply had a great love for the theatre ever since I was a child.” Pippa explained. “I love being surrounded by all of this — and honestly, most theatres have a pretty similar setup.”
It was getting harder and harder to not slip up on her prior career, especially in the theatre. When someone had guided her around and had explained everything and its place in the theatre, Pippa had to refrain herself from ensuring the other she knew exactly what everything was and how everything worked. She’d figured that was the best way to go about it. Too much knowledge would likely lead to more questions. Especially around theatre people. They generally were the more outspoken kind. “Besides, everyone has been very welcoming and accommodating. It’s hard not to feel at home in a place like this.”
Raika remained still among the crowded vintage racks, posture straight and disciplined, as if the very space had been arranged around her. Her dark eyes tracked the movement of the dungarees being taken, then returned to Pippa with the same measured neutrality she used when diagnosing unstable circuits. The woman’s sun-warmed, soft complexion stood in quiet contrast to Raika’s sharper, cooler-toned features, high cheekbones, precise jawline, and hair falling in straight, controlled lines that framed an expression that rarely softened.
❝ I am not joking, ❞ she explained flatly, without urgency or emphasis, as though correcting a misread measurement. The words carried no warmth, only certainty. Her gaze sharpened slightly at the mention of ruins, but it was not out of sentiment, rather analysis. ❝ Ruins implies disuse, ❞ she murmured mostly to herself, stepping half a pace closer as if inspecting a structural report. ❝ Is it still operational? Or is it simply abandoned land with intent to repair? ❞
Her attention stayed on Pippa’s face, unblinking and focused, the question carrying a clear, practical interest rather than curiosity for its own sake.
It didn’t take Pippa long to realise the other was taking her more literally than intended. Figures of speech and slight exaggerations would not help the conversation, so she figured she’d better steer clear of those and use more specific and literal speech patterns. Hopefully it would help the other be more at ease, as clearly her way of speaking wasn’t making her more comfortable. “No, I’m sorry — I just meant that you’re very kind for allowing me to take these. I’m not used to strangers being so nice.” Pippa explained, hoping that the elaboration would make her intentions more clear.
“It’s abandoned land with the intent to repair,” Pippa nodded, but quickly added onto the other’s assumption. “It’s not close operational though, I’m replacing a lot of the old wood, the property is filled with all kinds of weeds and brambles, so it will take a while before I’ll be able to live there. Let alone it being an operational farm.” The property was a mess, but fortunately she’d been making strides over the past few weeks. With the destruction of the rotten deck, it was already looking like a completely different place. “May I ask what you do for work?” She figured she'd been talking about herself more than enough and was curious to learn more about the woman in front of her.
"Then by all means, rush towards... whatever you wanted to rush to!" Aria smiled, moving out of the way as she held the dress closer to her chest, still thinking about the length of it. She could probably wear a skirt underneath and make it work, but she wasn't sure if that shade of yellow would make her look like she was about to glow in the dark. As much as Aria loved shopping, she was way too picky about the clothes she liked, and most of the time, she ended up modifying them herself or having her grandma do it for her. She wasn't sure if this dress would work for any of that, but she held it in her hands to think about it before she got to the checkout. She had no plans to leave any time soon.
"Oh, my God– you're an absolute sweetheart, I could eat you up like a sugar cube," Aria almost squealed, and had she not had clothes in her arms, she would have reached to give the blonde girl a big hug. Then again, she had to remind herself that not many people were that okay with physical contact, so she kept her hands to herself. "Well, I don't know. I don't mind short, and I don't mind people looking at me, but I also don't want half of my butt hanging below the dress, so... who knows. I'll think about it." Aria sighed. "What were you looking at with that much excitement? Now you've got me wondering."
Pippa couldn’t help herself, she really wanted to try the pair on, so she took the few steps and grabbed the dungarees off the rack. She quickly turned back to the other, to hopefully ensure she wouldn’t be considered rude for prioritising clothes over a conversation. “Sorry about that, they’re just too nice to have someone grab them right in front of you.” She chuckled as she gently followed the embroidery on the straps with her thumb. “I’ve been looking for something like this for nearly a month, so let’s hope it actually fits.” It was her size, so hopefully it would actually look somewhat flattering on her.
The other’s enthusiasm took her a little by surprise. It was this thing with Americans, they either really were so incredibly kind and welcoming, or they were really good at faking it. She’d met both ends of the spectrum in her brief time in the country so far, but still had some trouble recognising which kindness was genuine and which was the kind she’d rather steer clear of. “I mean, that’s fair, but you should definitely try it on at the very least.” She offered, hoping the other wouldn’t see her as too insistent. After all, it was just a piece of clothing. But still — she really could pull it off, even if it was too short. Life was difficult enough, so why tear others down when you could build them up, right? “Oh — it’s just this pair of dungarees,” Pippa stated as she held up the hanger a little, so the other could see properly. “Just thought the embroidery and general design looked really cute.”
Kat was rummaging through the racks, for the third time this month, wishing she really had gone to New York two months ago when she had been offered a shopping spree. Sure, Liv said she might do it too, but they were both worse for money. So the thrift store it was, trying to find something she liked but also worked for working at the club but also didn't make her feel like an impostor, but also could get her some tips. The only bonus of all the tops she'd gotten recently that showed some of her cleavage was that her newest tattoo, already healed, showed and people stared and then felt uncomfortable and then tipped more. She felt stupid for using that, but it also worked. Wit as many siblings as she had she needed all the extra money to be able to afford their amazing gifts. And, of course, all the dog treats for Yellow.
She was deep in her head, mind running through events of the last week, but also thinking about her sister, but also thinking about whether she should keep buying clothes instead of just quitting and finding a new job. And then she also was angry that her research on Roman architecture had been cut short this week because of the extra shift she took and the little sleep she had gotten and therefore the little time between going out to catch sun, speak with friends and hang out with Jodie at Glasseye then head over to Nin and try to decide if she should go to Booknook and risk an awkward hi with Phoebe.
So she honestly haven't paid attention to the bump at all, her eyes looking through the tank top she had in her hands and seeing everything and nothing. She turned her head, blonde curls bouncing as she looked at the woman, trying to ground herself in the present. "Oh... oh, it's totally fine, it's fine, I was literally just staring and thinking," she waved a hand, then looking down at the top and at the one in the other's hands. "That's cute! I was eyeing that too, honestly, though I feel like I have a bunch similar already so I skipped it and was wondering if green is my color," she added, looking at her own find again. "Do you really think it's looking wonderful? I always feel like green is for trees and for grape... though I suppose it can go for mint too and I do use a lot of mint. And the bar is green, that's why I was eyeing it," she kept on, more lost in her own head than trying to filter her words. "Did you hit yourself on me? I'm all good, but are you?" she asked, returning to the original question.
It wasn’t like Pippa had noticed anyone else going for the pair of dungarees, and so she instantly felt the regret when she felt the other’s shoulder against her. She really could’ve just walked at a slower pace, or maybe taken a different isle, as she had noticed the other standing there just a minute ago. But no — she’d been way too focused on the one thing in sight. Fortunately, the young woman in front of her did not seem to mind at all, in face she started talking and somehow barely stopped to take a breath as she did. A small smile formed on her lips and a chuckle slipped out as she watched the other speak. It was nice. Endearing really. She was a complete stranger and yet somehow seemed to feel safe enough to just let out every single thought that entered her mind. It was admirable even, seemingly trusting the universe that no one unkind would come across your path.
“I think green looks good on pretty much everyone. I mean, it depends on the shade and tone, of course, but you can definitely pull both of these shades off. Or a mint,” She assured the other, making a mental note that she’d mentioned she worked at the local bar. “I’d bet an olive green would look fantastic on you.” It was funny how the other instantly made her feel at ease. She’d been walking on eggshells for too long, wondering when the other shoe would drop during a conversation. And yet, not very many people here seemed to care about her. In the best sense of the word. She was a nobody again. No one had expectations and no one seemed to pretend to know who she was. “Oh no, I’m all good — I was more worried about you here,” Pippa insisted. “I’m glad you’re alright. Again, I’m really sorry about that.”
Erik had been in the theatre for all of his life. And that was a long time, at least in the eyes of at least two thirds of the people who worked in it now. He had long since learned how to tell apart the people who had talent and those who were simply doing it as an experiment, how to get people to reveal more of themselves. He had experience with this now and it was more of a reflex tan a conscious attempt. So, of course, he had noticed the new girl's obvious experience in this work from before even if she was simply volunteering now. She had none of the usual hesitation. He had noticed her twice already without meaning to, once crossing behind a stack of flats with a coil of cord in hand, and once again near the wings, where she had stepped aside for a passing costume rail a heartbeat before anyone warned her to. Blonde, young, pretty enough to make the eye linger if one was built that way, and Erik was, but that was not what held his attention. It was the awareness. The lack of fluster.
He let another moment pass before crossing toward her, unhurried, one hand sliding into the pocket of his pants while the other still held the pages of his notes folded back against his palm. "You are settling in remarkably well," he said as he came near enough to be heard without raising his voice. The corner of his mouth tilted upward. "Erik Leads. I try to know the names of the people making my stage look more competent."
After months of being away from what had been her everyday life for nearly a decade, Pippa had been craving to get back to it. Despite the very welcome change in scenery, it had felt like a part of her was missing. In the first week of renovations she’d blasted her show tunes playlist on full volume and it didn’t take her long to realise that her love for acting and everything around it wouldn’t just disappear with her career. So after a week of going back and forth on the idea to dip a toe back into the water, she’d finally made her decision. Dipping a toe was exactly what she would do. It wouldn’t reveal her past, but she’d at least step foot in a theatre again. Volunteering behind the scenes seemed like a nice step to start out. Who knew, maybe one day she’d stand on that stage again — if they allowed her to. And maybe life behind the scenes was more than enough to fulfil her passion of theatre. There was only one way to find out.
So there she was, a couple of times a week, wandering around the theatre, helping where she was needed and stepping in where she could. Pippa had forgotten just how confident she could feel around a place like this. How every worry seemed to be just a whisper and just how much she felt at home. She was woken from her thoughts, right as she picked up a stack of chords for the lighting department. The other’s compliment startled her a little. She’d fully forgotten that to most she probably wouldn’t just blend in with the rest, being a new face and all. “Thank you,” She smiled, suddenly more and more aware of being perceived by another. Especially one like Erik Leads. She’d heard the name dropped more than a couple of times, he was clearly important around here. “Pippa Barlow, very nice to meet you.” She’d gotten used to introducing herself by just her nickname, instead of her full name. Fortunately, all her acting credits had been in her full name and somehow a quick Google search on ‘Pippa Barlow’ mainly focussed on a renowned scientist by the same name. It was a feeble attempt. Maybe even a little dishonest, but there was nothing she wanted more than to start over with a clean slate.
Raika barely shifted from where she stood evaluating the hanging clothing. She was right on schedule, which she kept with the same discipline she brought to every other part of her life. Dark eyes, however, settled on the woman who had bumped into her, her expression remaining as composed and unreadable as before. ❝ I am alright, ❞ she said simply, glancing once at the same garment before looking toward the denim dungarees. After a brief pause, she gave a small, matter-of-fact shake of her head. ❝ It would suit you better, ❞ her gaze lingered on the other woman's fair, sun-kissed complexion, warm with a natural golden glow that contrasted noticeably against her own cooler-toned skin. ❝ You have the skin for it. ❞ Then her attention dropped to the dungarees themselves, studying them with the same direct scrutiny she reserved for faulty wiring. ❝ Do you own a farm? ❞
A soft breath of relief left her lips as the other mentioned they were fine. What a great first impression she’d leave if during her first couple weeks in town, she’d injure one of the people there? She noticed the other glancing at the pair of dungarees she’d been eyeing and for a second she felt a slight pang in her chest, wishing this moment had never happened. It was ridiculous, a pair of denim overalls definitely did not matter at all in the grand scheme of things, but still — it was something nice. Something that might just made her feel slightly better. But instantly, the other’s kindness showed and she felt bad for instantly jumping to the ‘worst case scenario’. “That’s so kind of you, are you kidding?” A soft laugh escaped as Pippa took the pair in her hands. “I’m sure it would look great on you too, though.” She offered quickly. When the other mentioned the farm, her head tilted slightly in moderate confusion. “Is it that obvious? I mean — it’s practically the ruins of a farm, but yes. I do.”
Becca stumbled slightly before catching herself. "Oh gosh, no, that was me." she said quickly, offering an apologetic smile as she looked over her shoulder. Her attention had been on her kids rather than where she was going, a habit she'd picked up somewhere along the way. She spotted Jack weaving between a couple of racks while Mackenzie followed after him at a much more sensible pace. Immediately, she felt herself relax. "Jack, honey, slow down." she called, knowing full well there was a good chance he'd ignore her. "Sorry. I spend half my life chasin' that little boy around while his sister cleans up after him."
Her eyes dropped to the shirt she was holding before she laughed softly. "And thank you. I haven't really bought myself much since moving here, so I'm a little out of practice." She glanced down at it again, considering, unsure of her decision really. "Honestly, I can't tell if it's cute or if I've just been staring at it long enough to convince myself it is." Becca admitted, wondering if she was just sleep deprived enough that anything looked cute in her mind.
Before she could apologise again, Pippa spotted the kids running around the store and a gentle smile grew across her lips. Watching the little boy run around, with his sister following gently in his steps reminded her just a little too much of her own childhood. How often she’d spent her time following her brother around when he was way too focussed on just exploring every single place they’d visit. The amount of times their mother had yelled at the both of them to just stay in one place, instead of wandering across every single inch of every place. “Yeah, I can imagine. They’re probably having way more fun that way anyway.” Pippa let out a soft chuckle as the nostalgia crept in. The good old days. Back when nothing had gone wrong yet.
She shook her head at the other’s comment. “I mean, I haven’t seen it on, so I can’t give you the full review, but the colour is clearly in your season, and I’m sure you’d rock that neckline.” Pippa shrugged as her gaze moved from the other woman to the piece of clothing they were holding. “If you want, you can go try it on? I’ll watch the kids for you, if you’d like.” She offered as she glanced around to catch a glimpse of the two. “They seem lovely, by the way.”
Hiro is on a phone call, which isn't terribly obvious because his phone is in his pocket and his Airpods are in his ears and hidden by the length of his dark hair and the fact that right now he's listening to the voice speaking on the other end as he works. A friend of his who has a tendency to let his mouth run away with him which doesn't bother Hiro any, in fact, he enjoys it a lot, especially while working because it helps distract him from the tedious task of restocking which is what he's doing now. Restocking. Taking items off from the cart he's pushing down the aisle and hanging them back up in their close enough location. On slow days, his manager wants him to color coordinate, but most days Hiro just sorts them by size. This is one of those days where he just goes by size, and with the fact of the phone call paired together, it makes it so he's only half paying attention and so they both end up knocking into each other. Only a little. Just a slight bump of the arms really but enough to cause her apparently great disturbance.
Hiro turns his attention to her now, hearing two voices at once because he's still on a phone call and it's starting to make him dizzy. "Wait, hold on, sorry. I'll call you back," spoken while looking directly at the woman with his hand hovering by his ear so he can tap to end the call a moment later and then he speaks again, this time actually directed to her and not just speaking while facing her direction. "Was I what?" He looks to the shirt held in his hand and then back to her. It's definitely not his vibe but he also hadn't heard what she'd said, so he holds it out to her, thinking perhaps she was saying she wanted it. "Oh, sorry. You wanted this one? It's got a yellow sticker so it's 10% off." She sort of looks familiar... where has he seen her before?
Guilt instantly grew when she realised that the other had been on the phone as she had bumped into them. She’d never wanted to interrupt anyone’s day, and interrupting a phone call that could possibly be an important one seemed much worse than that. “I’m so sorry.” Pippa repeated apologetically, hoping the other wasn’t too bothered by her action. The people in town had been more than kind to her since arriving, but still, after months of hatred surrounding her, it was hard to expect the best. “This was all me, I wasn’t paying attention,” She explained quickly, hoping the other would understand.
At the other’s visible confusion regarding the item of clothing in their hand, Pippa raised her hands just a little, to indicate that that had not been the reason for her comment. “Oh, no sorry — I was going for that pair of dungarees over there,” She nodded towards the rack where the pair she’d been eyeing was hanging front and center. “I just thought that colour would look great on you.” Pippa explained, instantly regretting her decision to attempt to start a conversation with the other. “I really didn’t mean to disturb you, I’m sorry you had to end the call, don’t let me keep you any further.”
It wasn't often that Aria had free time to roam Ennora. It had been a good couple of months since the last time she even took a walk aside from walking Minho's dogs whenever he couldn't do it himself. Today was different, however, because she usually wasn't able to walk into a store with eight yapping puppies.
She took her time that morning– got an iced coffee on her way, and stopped by a couple of stores without really buying anything just yet, until she stepped into the thrift store. It used to be her favorite place until a couple of years ago, when she gained the freedom to shop at regular stores and even get a few designer items she didn't often use unless she was out with Min. Still, this place felt like home– it almost smelled like it with the amount of clothes she had at home and the amount of stuff that was there to browse.
She had been absorbed in thought, passing through different dresses in very bright colors to get ready for the summer, when someone bumped into her, not quite knocking her down but hard enough to disturb her balance. Because this was Aria, her platform shoes weren't quite stable, so she wobbled for a few seconds before finding her footing again. "Whoa!" She yelped, but managed to hold on to a railing after a moment. "Oh, God– no, don't worry. I'm totally in the way!" Aria chuckled and looked down at the item in her hand. "Well, I was about to look at it just now– it's cute, isn't it?" She said, lifting the yellow dress to her body. "I think it would suit you too, if you like it. I think it's a little bit too short for me."
Pippa held up her hands, blouse draped over one of her arms, in an attempt to help the other stabilise. A quick glance down revealed the platform shoes the other was wearing, which definitely explained the instability. “No — no, it’s all me. I was just rushing towards —” She trailed as she gestured in the direction of the dungarees at the end of the isle. Pippa wasn’t entirely sure why she didn’t specify that it was that specific pair she was gunning for, and instead decided to keep it a bit ambiguous. Maybe her trust in her peers had been far more damaged than she’d anticipated. The other seemed kind enough. But then again, so did the people in her social media’s comment sections.
The other’s offer shook her from her thoughts and a soft laugh escaped her lips. “Definitely cute. And I don’t think they’re too short at all. You’ll definitely be able to pull that off, I mean — have you looked at yourself? You’re gorgeous, no one’s going to pay attention to whether your dress is going to be maybe just a little on the shorter side. And if they do, it’ll only be in the best sense of the way.” She offered with a gentle smile, though she quickly realised that it might not be exactly the goal for everyone. After all, she didn’t know the stranger at all. “Unless that’s not what you’re looking for... Either way, it’ll look great on you, I’m sure.”
Her hand gently brushed the fabrics as Pippa wandered through the vintage store. Her eyes darted from rack to rack, searching for something cute yet functional. After spending the past couple of months wilting away in sweats, she wanted to start over and feel cute again for the first time in a long time. Who said you couldn’t look cute while renovating an old farmhouse that was closer to collapsing than being liveable? Pippa’s gaze landed on a pair of denim dungarees. There was a little wear and tear, but the straps were decorated with embroidered daisies and leaves. They would definitely match the blouse she’d already taken off the rack earlier, the perfect combination.
At that moment, her full attention was on the item of clothing hanging only a few feet away. So much so that Pippa didn’t realise how close she’d gotten to the complete stranger standing between her and the pair of dungarees. “I’m so sorry — are you alright?” she blurted, hoping the bump hadn’t been too painful on their end. Pippa caught a glimpse of the item the other was holding. “Were you thinking of getting that? I bet it would look wonderful on you,” she offered in an attempt to make the situation at least a little less uncomfortable.
PHILIPPA ‘PIPPA’ BARLOW has been spotted in town. They have been living here for 1 MONTH in THE OUTSKIRTS. They are GUARDED and SOFTHEARTED, as far as newcomers should be concerned when approaching them at GOLDEN EAGLE RANCH where they work as FARMHAND.
Name: Philippa ‘Pippa’ Barlow
Date of birth: June 24, 1997 [2829]
Place of birth: Bath, England
Current location: The Outskirts, Ennora, New York
Occupation: Farmhand at Golden Eagle Ranch
Faceclaim: Hannah Dodd
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TL;DR Backstory
Grew up on farmland near Bath in England.
Moved to London with her mother and brother after a nasty divorce.
Got cast in two West End musicals as a child and loved theatre very much, but got pulled out of that world by her mother, who wanted more for her than poverty and struggle (which she assumed her life would be if she continued within the arts).
Did well in school and went to university for economics, which she hated. She then auditioned for a well known British soap opera (Beckett Square), where she got cast at 20 as the teen daughter of the main couple in the show. She did very well on the show and was beloved by the public.
Pippa broke with her family due to her choice to go with the path she wanted in life, instead of the path her mother chose for her. She found new family, though, in her on-screen parents: Grant and Pamela Walters. A married couple that fell in love while filming the soap over the past two decades.
Though, after seven successful years on the show, everything fell apart. There were rumours Pamela was being written off to give Pippa more opportunities on the show, and Grant forced her into a compromising position — being photographed by the paparazzi, the news of a grand affair broke that same evening.
Pippa was accused of breaking up the famous and beloved couple of almost twenty years, as well as her own relationship with a beloved co-star. The tabloids were filled with hateful articles, social media filled up with threats and she was doxxed by the public. On top of it all, she was fired from the show, to separate the scandal from the show itself. After a few months in complete isolation from everyone and everything, she knew it was time to get away from it all.
Pippa moved to Ennora to get away from the paparazzi, tabloids and scrutiny she faced back home. Hoping no one would know who she was here, she was ready to start over. Away from the limelight.
She bought an old rundown farm with some farmland, ready to go back to her roots and start her own little farm. To cover the expenses of a renovation of the rundown farm, she’s working as a farmhand at Golden Eagle Ranch and living there until she has at least one room ready in her new (hopefully forever) home.
Full backstory
Pippa Barlow was born on farmland close by Bath in England. She spent her early childhood there, walking among the chickens, sheep, cows, donkeys and other animals that lived on the family’s farm. Her little wellies were part of her daily attire and she wouldn’t leave for school before petting every single animal within reach.
At eight years old, her parents went through a nasty divorce. Pippa and her older brother were whisked away from the old farm to a shiny, polished apartment in the big city centre of London. After a very intense custody battle, her mother was assigned full custody. Pippa never asked her mother about the cause of the divorce, nor the reason why the court case was so intense, she never dared and didn’t want to stir up old issues.
The adjustment to city life was rough on Pippa, but she ensured her mother would never notice. She didn’t want to add onto the burden of the split. Her mother was more stressed than she’d ever seen and it was clear to the little girl that her mother didn’t need any additional factors to worry about. So she put on a brave face and managed to make a friend or two in her first year in the city.
Pippa had always enjoyed music and theatre, when the local community theatre in Bath would perform, she was aways sitting in the front row. So living in London, where her mother would take her to see shows on the West End was like living the dream. At eleven years old, she even got to perform herself. After taking hours upon hours of dance, theatre and singing lessons and countless auditions to be in one of the West End shows, she finally got the part. She played young Cosette in Les Misèrables for about half a year and then went on to play one of the children in Annie.
After those two great experiences, her mother realised that she was fuelling the passion for the arts within Pippa, which would never get her set in life. So at thirteen, Pippa was taken out of the West End scene was told to fully focus on her studies. She was still able to perform in school, but took her mother’s wishes seriously. Pippa lived a pretty standard life. Had her girlfriends to hang out with. Even had her first boyfriend that resulted in a two-year on-and-off relationship.
She started university to get a degree in economics, just like her mother wanted, and actually did pretty decent. But then the chance of a lifetime entered the picture. Beckett Square, the nation’s favourite soap opera was hiring young women who could play teens. As Pippa had just turned twenty, she figured she’d just shoot her shot. She could finally escape the stifling atmosphere that surrounded her at uni.
The audition was more than successful and after a few more, Pippa had secured her spot on the show. She immediately dropped out of college, much to her mother’s dismay. There were many arguments on her future, stability, frustration and fights that kept escalating to the point where even her brother got involved. A very small disagreement turned into a major break within the family, and Pippa was on her own from that moment on. She fortunately found a new family within Beckett Square.
Her on-screen parents were a couple in real life too. They’d been on the longtime soap for over twenty years and fell in love very early on. Grant and Pamela Walters were both incredibly kind and inviting and made sure there were no holidays or birthdays without loved ones present. For seven years, they made her feel like the brightest star. And the UK followed in their steps. The Walters family was one of Britain’s favourites. After all, everyone had seen their love blossom and grow every single day in their living rooms. And now they’d fully embraced their ‘daughter’, which they loved to share in interviews and during press moments. Pippa started dating her co-star Paul, who played another character on the show at 26 and the two quickly became the public’s new favourite couple on the show.
At 27, seven years after the first episode she’d appeared in, things changed. After a long, tiring shoot day, Grant had invited her for a walk, and Pippa had agreed to join. He mentioned how rumours were going around that Pamela was being written off the show. That Pippa’s character had gained too much popularity. He apologised, but Pippa wasn’t sure for what, surely she had to apologise instead. But quickly, everything shifted. Grant suddenly pulled her in for a kiss, holding her tight — one hand on her waist, the other tangled in her hair. There was no time to think, or even process what was happening, before suddenly several flashes surrounded them. Grant, the actor that he was, badly played it off as nothing had actually happened, but the damaged had already been done.
The pictures that were released sparked a lot of outrage. Not at Grant, for kissing her out of the blue. But at Pippa, for breaking up not just a decades-long marriage, but for breaking up her own in the process as well. The next day the tabloids were filled with forged text message threads, handwritten love letters and first-hand encounters describing Pippa’s ploys to get the showrunners to kill of Pamela’s character on the soap… And suddenly Pippa, the beloved actress, became The Harlot of Beckett Square.
More and more ‘evidence’ was believed by the public, and of course no one actually wanted to hear the truth. The drama of an affair between on-screen father and daughter was far too interesting to ignore. The production company behind the soap opera turned against her, her boyfriend believed the scandal and broke their relationship off, the public saw her as nothing other than the harlot who destroyed a marriage and ruined their favourite show. And worst of all, the people she’d considered family had caused it all.
Months of harassment online and even in public followed. Her address and phone number were leaked to the public and on top of it all, she was fired from the show. Complaints had been made against her by Pamela, for manipulating the showrunners into writing her off the show, and on top of that, the scandal had grown so massive, that it was reflecting poorly onto the network. So, without a job, without a family, without a partner, or any friends — Pippa was completely alone.
After months of complete isolation, things started to settle down a little, but no other show would hire her. And with no college education and no prospects, Pippa decided to move to the other side of the world and completely start over. The limelight was not only not an option, but also something she just didn’t want anymore. The joy of performing was taken from her. Constant critique was flowing through her mind and she knew that this scandal would follow her forever if she tried again.
She started imagining working with her hands to keep her mind of things. Working to build a forever home away from everything she’d even known. Living on a farm again, with animals she could care for, a little vegetable garden, some fruit trees… It was the only thing on her mind for weeks before Pippa came across an advertisement for an old piece of land. An old rundown farm in the outskirts of Ennora, New York. A small town, away from it all. It seemed too good to be true.
Fortunately, throughout her career, she’d been good about saving up the majority of her income and buying the property was easier than she’d ever imagined. It needed a lot of work, but it could be perfect one day. And hopefully, no one would even know she existed there. The show she’d been on wasn’t really popular outside of the country, so odds were that no one had a clue. Starting over was the only plan that made sense.
After arriving in Ennora, the farm she’d purchased showed real possibility, but definitely wasn’t ready to live in yet. While looking for a job to fill up on some cash to start the renovation process, Pippa came across Golden Eagle Ranch, where she could work as a farmhand and help around the house where needed. She could stay in the spare room for as long as she needed to get her own place up and running. The kindness was such a massive change from all the hate she’d experienced over the last few months. It gave her hope for a brighter future ahead.
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