Miles Forrest, the 27-year-old has lived in Hidehill his entire life and was a stranger to Jade Parker, the missing person. Whispers on the street are that the owner of ‘Like a broken record’, who lives in Hide Square, is said to be charming and mischievous. But I guess you’ll have to find that out for yourselves.
Full Name: Miles James Forrest
Age/Birthday: 27 years old. 14th November 1994
Gender/Pronouns: Male (he/him/his)
Sexuality: Bisexual
Neighbourhood: Hide Square
Occupation: Owner of record store- Like a broken record
Height: 6′2ft
Eye colour: Green
Hair: Brunette and curly
Physical attributes: Miles has a plethora of patchwork style tattoos from his collar bones down to his hips, across his back and down his arms. He is of an athletic build, broad shoulders and muscular.
Traits: Miles has a habit of carrying a bad mood around with him, the weight of the world seemingly on his shoulders. A life of hardships, failed relationships, failed careers and abandoned dreams left him miserable and a little flippant. But he could also be charming, bordering on flirtatious to the point of manipulation. He didn’t see it as a negative thing to use others for his own gain.
Miles inherited the record store from his grandfather, who left him sole ownership after his untimely passing, a devastating loss to the family unit. Miles had spent what felt like his entire childhood in the store, listening to albums, helping to organise shelves and when he was old enough, running the cashier stand. Back then it had been a choice to spend so much time there with the man who practically raised him, now it seemed like he was bound to it, trapped in this life with too much guilt to dare sell the shop. But Miles had his own dreams, his love of music had transformed into playing it, teaching himself guitar, bass, flute, ukulele and piano to name a few.
Music had become his safe haven, an escape from the miserable existence he had slumped into but he could never seem to commit to persuing it further, something always crept in the way, blocking his path from achieveing any goal.
Or maybe it was his crippling fear of rejection.
Miles’ upbrinigng was... less than favourable and had left a few scars. Raised primarly by his grandparents as his father left when he was a child and his mother couldn’t handle the responsibility of raising a baby. Miles is greatful everyday for the life his grandparents gave him but it never took away the pain of feeling unwanted by the people that brought him into the world. Although she tried, his mother was unable to stay sober long enough to spend any time with him and she skipped town often, the addiction for alcohol his mother had was definitely the least favourite thing he inherited from her, he was certainly partial to a whiskey or two when things got tough. Things were tough most days. But like he told everyone that expressed any form of concern for his bad habits,
“I’ve got it under control, love.”
Connections:
Heather- The two have formed somewhat of a toxic friendship, although he only wants the best for Heather, he is not the best influence.
Jordan- Having spent years on each others radars and moving in similar circles, they know of each other but did not see eye to eye, especially not after Miles’ antics with Heather.
Heidi- Although slightly younger than himself, Miles always had time for Heidi when they met up at highschool house parties. He’s glad to see her back in HideHill.
Julia- After their hook-up at a party, Miles found himself in a little too deep with her. He’s afraid to admit the feelings that are rapidly developing but can’t stop thinking about her.
“man, listen.” emmett groans at his neighbor’s complain about the noise early in the morning, yet it was very unusual of the feline to do at that time of day, unless… “they must’ve seen someone creepin’ around the flat. they’re usually not this loud.” on cue, wednesday appears by the door, staring back at miles who seemed beyond words tired before going back inside to join wherever hugo was. “you look like you could use a cup of coffee.” the photographer was tired himself, pinching the bridge of his nose.
xx
Miles watched as the cat appraoched the door, “Listen, whatever the reason, it’s just loud even through the walls, alright?” He shook his head, “And you’ve caught me on an off morning so I’m sorry for barging round here.” Miles admitted, running a hand through his unruly curls and offering a shrug at the mention of needing coffee, “Try a whole pot.”
Leo had been in many fights in his lifetime, which meant it would probably be annoying to hold onto grudges after it was over. If he did, his list of people he disliked in town probably would’ve multiplied. “I think I’d probably get heckled from insulting my audience too much,” Leo replied, a dry laugh escaping his lips. One of his eyebrows raised at the gesture, “If your buying, then sure.” If Miles was willing to put whatever fight happened between them ages ago, he was perfectly fine with it.
x
A flash of a smirk worked its way onto Miles’ lips as he spoke of being heckled, nodding in agreement, “At least your humble.” Signalling the bartender to bring them two beers, Miles placed a few notes on the bar to settled the bill then turned to look at Leo, “Listen, I don’t really do grudges or bad blood, just consider this all put aside yeah? I hope your face healed alright.”
Julia laughed at his swooning, lifting a slender shoulder up in a nonchalant shrug. “Aren’t you lucky, then?” She teased him, letting Miles pull her in by the hip. When they pulled away, Julia took a second to just relish this moment. It had become a terrifying familiarity and when she thought about it too long, what was building between them, scared her. But at the very same time, it elicited a type of excitement she couldn’t get over.
All Julia knew was that she couldn’t imagine not having Miles in her life anymore and his surprise, hidden behind her, would only prove how woven he had become into her life.
Lifting her gaze up, Julia bit her lower lip in nerves. Giving him this piece of her art was intimate and personal. She didn’t think she ever even painted anything for Mason in the years they spent together. “Okay,….” With a deep breath, Julia set the food down on his coffee table before presenting him with the canvas hidden behind her back, the piece he had asked her to paint. It was a painting of a couple, them honestly, at a piano with one teaching the other to play. Julia knew that Miles would understand the significance. “It’s rough, I know,” She immediately began to explain herself, suddenly self-conscious of not just her talent, but of the significance behind the portrait. What if he thought it was too much? Had she been assumptious? “But I… I hope you like it. If not, I can always try again.” She offered, her hazel eyes nervously shifting between the man in front of her the piece of her heart she was offering him.
xx
“The luckiest,” Miles agreed with a slow nod, as he took in the growing familiarity of the sight of her in his living room. Nothing felt out of place when she was here, it was though her presence was supposed to be around. Forest greens focused on Julia’s every move, noting the apparent nerves plastered all over her face as she parted with the surprise. Miles took the canvas into his hands and lowered his gaze.
Silently, the brunette stood in awe of the artwork, following every brush stroke that created the image of a couple at a piano. A smile of wonderment pulled at the corners of his lips, he barely caught Julia’s words of self-deprication as he continued to take in the swirls of colour, the delicacy of the figures laid out on canvas and the story that came from the work. “No, no. God, Jules this is far from rough. It’s perfect. Okay, wait.” Miles signalled for her to pause momentarily with one finger held in the air.
Without hesitation, Miles crossed to his piano and placed the painting just above it, then took a breif moment to admire it’s new home. “What do you think?” He posed the question as he spun on his heels to face Julia, his hand extended out for her to join him in the private viewing of her hung artwork. Now he had a piece of her inspired work to keep him inspired every time he sat at the piano-- suddenly it didn’t feel like such a daunting endevour to play.
“meow….mRRROoowww...” emmett was woken up by his cat, wednesday, who seemed to be telling him something. it’s either he’s hungry, he needs something or it’s another thing. it was always a rare occasion for him to be like this though. “damn it….hugo…” he grabs his phone from his bedside table to check the time. “it’s just six in the morning, are you hungry?” finally, he notices a series of loud knocks on his door. the man gets out of his bed with only wearing his boxer shorts, so he grabs his robe and puts it on, before he heads to the door. “look…it’s six in the morning, and i don’t expect any visitors at this time of day….so tell me what you’re knockin’ on about.” he simply says, not really noticing who was the person on the other side of his door.
Groggy and battling a severe hangover, Miles had found himself becoming increasingly annoyed with the sound travelling through the wall of his neighbour's apartment, it was far too early to be awoken by the sound of what he could only presume to be an animal attempting to communicate with the entire complex. Reluctantly, Miles ripped the covers off of himself to leave the confines of his warm bed, dragging himself down the hall to the neighbouring studio while muttering grievances to himself. Miles pounded his fist against the door with building frustration. Finally, an answer, “Oh, you think I don’t know what time it is? Your cat is clearly trying to serenade the neighbourhood while I’ve got a killer headache. Figure it out,” The tone was harsh, a furrowing brow accentuating the frustration felt about being awake at such an early hour.
Location: Miles’ apartment
Who: Julia Escarra and @nothingformiles
It had taken a while, and Julia would never say this was her best but it was her best now. In her hands, she carried the finished piece Miles had commissioned from her a couple of weeks ago. It was the first time she had painted anything in nearly five years. The last couple of weeks had been a whirlwind. Between Mason coming back, her sleeping with Javier and Dominic, and then Heidi being murdered, she figured they needed something good.
Miles and Jules had grown continuously closer and closer, their bond and relationship solidifying more and more. Perhaps, that’s why she was riddled with guilt over her actions. Even if she was still, technically single. But today, she didn’t want to focus on that. She wanted to focus on the painting, it’s significance to not just her, but the testament of their relationship and how good it had been for each other.
Inhaling deeply, Jules, hide the canvas behind her (though, it wasn’t very well hid) and raised the hand holding Chinese take out to knock on Miles’ door. When the door opened to reveal the pair of deep greens she loved and the smile that made her worries disappear, Julia smiled brightly at him. “I brought dinner and a surprise.” She told Miles, stepping up and leaning upwards to greet him with a soft kiss to his lips.
A knock at his door wasn’t so much of a surprise anymore, especially after meeting Julia and the regular visits to one another's homes that were becoming a frequent occurrence. Miles pretty much anticipated her arrival before even opening the door to be greeted with a bright smile and captivating hazel hues.
At her announcement of dinner and a surprise, Miles’ jokingly swooned, flashing a flirtatious wink in her direction, “You are the perfect woman.” He couldn’t help the smile that spread wide across his lips as he reached out a hand to meet her hip, pulling her close before pressing his lips to her own, guiding her into his home without breaking the kiss.
With them both now inside the minimally decorated studio, Miles kicked the door shut before turning his full attention to Julia, “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s the surprise?” Eyes alight with curiosity as stood before the woman, his towering height creating a distance between their exchanged gaze.
Javier turns his head to look over at the man standing next to him. “Did the oil change and a full check up. You might need to get your brake pads replaced soon but everything else seems in check.” He holds the paper out towards Miles. “Is there anything else you needed me to look at before you head out? Or if you want me to replace the brake pads since you’re here I can do that too.”
“Thanks man.” Miles nodded, scanning over the paperwork then flicking his gaze to his trusty red pickup. “Yeah, fuck it, may as well replace them while I’m here.” Bringing his hand to his hair, Miles tousled the unruly curls out of his face then turned to the mechanic, eyeing him with curiousity. “What’s the damage gonna be then? Fancy throwing a discount on that price?” Miles smirked as he threw the request out.
He was drinking beer tonight. Not his first option for getting drunk, but Leo was in the mood for getting something cheap, and unsatisfying. He’d always thought beer tasted like piss, but at the moment, it didn’t really matter, as long as it did the job. He was enjoying the quiet, the two seats beside him vacant. Until they weren’t. The sound of someone sitting next to him making his head lift up and shoot a glance in their direction. “Ah, it’s you again,” Leo let out with a laugh, taking a swig of his beer. “Thought your crazy ass would’ve checked in rehab at this point, but I guess not.”
A heavy mind had lead him to the bar, several beers deep already and reclusing himself into back corner of the establishment with his eyes focused on the bottle between his hands. Taking another long swig, Miles tipped his head back and allowed his eyes to scan the premises, catching a glance at a familiar face. Bringing himself out of the booth, Miles made his way over the to vacant seat besides Leo. “Good joke, you ever thought about stand up?” Miles droned, unphased by the insult before attempting to catch the attention of the bartender and placing another order, “You want one?” The brunette cocked a brow as he offered a drink to the other, it was the most he was going to extend as a form of apology.
Daylight broke through the blinds, prying weary eyes open against their will. Miles drew in a deep breath, glancing down at the woman beside him, her bare skin illuminated in a warm orange glow provided by the stunning sunrise. Gentle fingertips cascaded down the length of Julia’s exposed back, a hum of contentment working its way through his throat. Bringing his lips down to the top of Julia’s head, Miles pressed a soft kiss into her hair, “Morning, princess.” Deep tones breaking the sleep induced quietness that brought a sense of peace.
Miles relished in the uniqueness of this moment, too often he had been scrambling to get out of a partners bed, rarely sleeping over the night but with Julia, it seemed natural to wake up beside her. There was no rush to escape the confines of the room, temptation to spend the whole morning between these sheets, running his hand through soft brunette locks and stealing delicate kisses was definitely strong. “How did you sleep?” He cooed, bringing his gaze to her face.
Unlike most people, Miles included, Sasha meant everything she said, when she said it. Despite how he treated her the last time the two of them spoke with one another, she did care about his well-being and hoped that he we was doing alright. The apology earned a slow nod from the woman. “Thank you. I’m not going to say it’s okay, because it’s not.. but thank you.” she offered with a small nod, appreciating that he did apologize for it. “But really.. if you need anything… let me know.”
Miles understood and gave a knowing nod in Sasha’s direction, “That’s okay.” With a sigh, the brunette shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked on the balls of his feet. “Same to you, y’know?” It wasn’t often Miles found the strength to apologise for his wrongdoings but it was the least Sasha deserved, forest hues glanced to their surroundings and watched as children played happily, “I used to come here all the time as a kid.” He mused quietly, fond memories flooding back. “Funny how things don’t remain as simple as they once were, I’d give anything to be a six year old just not giving a shit about life again.” Miles wasn’t sure why he was confessing the thought to Sasha, but a clutted mind had lead to rambling words in recent weeks.
Julia couldn’t pinpoint the last time she had felt so warm and comfortable. The day had passed in a blissful blur - even with Rowan joining them, it had been a fantastic day and she wouldn’t have traded anything of it for a second. Rowan had been tucked into bed a little while ago and now, she was wrapped in Miles’ embrace as they watched a movie in bed. Julia’s leg was entwined with his and her arm was wrapped lazily around his torso, trailing soft circles with her fingertips. A content hum vibrated through her at the soft kiss pressed to her cheek. It had been so long since she had encountered affection so soft and considerate. Julia felt awful missing one of their closest friend’s wedding but the Shadow had driven enough fear through her heart to want to avoid the vent altogether. If there was a possibility that one of her friends could die, she didn’t couldn’t bear to see it. But as the night carried on, Julia had convinced herself that maybe the Shadow had been bluffing and Nate had been able to enjoy his wedding day without a problem. The rasp of Miles’ voice caused Julia to lift her gaze up from her position on his chest and smile at him. “I’m more than comfy.” She assured him, her smile deepening as she was gifted with another kiss. She was in bliss and she didn’t want this moment to end.
The buzzing of his phone had Jules’ eyes looking curiously as he looked at his phone, but she didn’t pay much mind to it, choosing instead to focus on the movie. It wasn’t until Miles’ hushed words came between them that Julia froze, a chill up her spine. She didn’t need to read the headline on his phone once Miles handed it to her to know what happened. The Shadow had killed again. But the names caused a rush of emotions to run through her. She wasn’t close to either women but, she was close to Nate. “Oh my god.” She whispered, and his wife had just been killed on the day of their wedding. And Miles… Miles had just lost a friend. “Baby…” Julia watched as he paced the room, distraught until he finally lowered himself to the floor. She was off the bed in less than a second. Pulling him into her, Julia cradled Miles in her embrace, pressing a tender kiss to the top of his head. “I am so sorry.” She said softly, eyes pricking with tears because she knew what he was feeling. She wasn’t a stranger to grief and much less grief created by the Shadow. She didn’t know what else to say to him and sometimes, nothing was best so she just held him tightly, trying to soothe the ache she knew he must be feeling.
xx
An ocean's worth of grief washed over him, a heavy heart aching in the depths of his chest and a shaky breath left parted lips with an apprehensive sentence sitting on the tip of his tongue. Battling with the guilt of not being there and wondering if somehow, in some way, he could have helped or prevented the deaths. Miles understood how ridiculous of a notion that actually was, but nothing about grief and trying to process loss made sense. Especially when it was at the hands of a serial killer who seemingly had it out for everyone in the town with no rhyme or reason. As arms embraced his shaking body and gentle lips fell to his head, Miles felt the rush of warmth and comfort, falling against Julia as a few quiet tears slipped from tightly shut eyes.
The back of his hands met the socket of his eyes, hastily wiping the tears with a shake of his head, “Fuck.” He sniffed, locked eyes with the floor then wrapped both arms around Julia’s waist, “I don’t know how long I can take this.” It was a loaded confession, bringing his gaze to Julia’s breathtaking hazel hues he continued, “I don’t want to lose anyone else, especially not you and... Jesus Christ, I can’t even think about losing you.” The thought alone brought on another wave of grief, knowing this was going to be a long night of attempting to process the news, using the pad of his thumbs to wipe away her own tears. It shattered him to know that yet again the actions of the Shadow had reduced Julia to tears. After some time of being entwined with one another on the bedroom floor, Miles found the strength to move, slowly and with no other focus than getting back into bed. Quietly, he rose to his feet, bringing Julia up with him. “Come on,” The sombre whisper broke the silence that had fallen between them as he led her back to the solace provided under soft covers. Once settled, Miles pulled Julia close to his chest, his grasp tight as though fear had taken over that she would slip away from him in the night.
Michaela wanted to go to the park and play and though Sasha stressed that they had a big yard now, it was clear that the little girl had friends that would be at Reign Park due to her pushing to go. So, without argument, she took her there and let her meet up with the friends she so desperately wanted to meet. In the corner of her eye, she spotted Miles and felt the need to check up on him, see how he’d been and likely give him some advice he didn’t ask for. Plus, she hadn’t seen him since their fallout at the party. “Miles, I truly hope you’ve been doing well..” she stated with a soft smile, making sure to check on her daughter every now and again but keeping her main focus on him.
Sasha’s comment struck him as misplaced, part of him began to wonder if it was sincere or maybe just sarcasm. An eyebrow quirked in her direction as he mulled over how to respond. Their last interaction had ended in a less than favourable manner and for that he was truly sorry, “Thanks, Sasha. i um.. I’m doing okay I suppose...” Pausing for a breif moment, Miles ran the tip of his tongue over his lower lip, “I think you deserve an apology from me for the way I spoke to you at Mike’s. There was a lot going on, I’d had a lot to drink, I never meant to upset you though. I’m sorry.”
Alejandro glances towards his desk then back over to the man. “Come on in and sit down.” He shakes his head as he glances towards the clock hanging on the wall. “I have about an hour and a half before the wife starts to get impatient,” he teases as he moves to take off his jacket and sit down on the office chair. He clicks a button to turn on his computer again. “Do you know what you’d put on the property?”
x
Miles ducked his head in apologetic fashion, moving forward and taking a seat. “Thank you, I appreciate it. I certainly don’t want to be responsible for you being in the dog house.” The poor time management probably wasn’t a great reflection of character but nonetheless, Miles threw a hand into his hair, ruffling the locks as he pushed brunette strands backwards. “I was thinking of expanding the record store, maybe creating some kind of bar or cafe with a stage.”
“Well, there’s a difference between a killer running around and giving everyone a bit of a distraction from it all.” She shrugged trying to excuse her behaviour for a moment, though she knew it wasn’t exactly excusable in the slightest. “Instead of everyone moping around waiting to be next they had someone to watch, someone to judge, they had a distraction from the next someone is out here taking us out one by one.” She sighed. “A quieter village? It sounds like heaven, truly. I don’t think we can all just up and move at once though.. plus the killer would join us and start all over again.”
“I suppose there’s some truth to that.” Miles shrugged, holding back a brief laugh at the ludacris notion of the town needing a distraction from a serial killer with some petty drama, although he supposed it had worked do a degree. “Who says I’d take you all with me?” A smirk fell onto full lips, eyeing Kenzie for her reaction, sometimes the thought of escaping was far too tempting, leaving behind everything he’d ever known for a chance of private solace. “I would miss this town a little too much though.” And there it was, the confession that had him stuck in this godforsaken place.
Setting: After the news announcement of Heidi & Cami
Closed: @juliaxescarra
Wrapped in the quiet comfort of blankets and cushions, an arm lazily wrapped around Julia’s waist as a movie played quietly on the screen before them, Miles felt a moment of quiet content wash over him. His attention barely on the screen but more so on the woman pressed against him, emerald hues glanced down to features he admired so, full lips found her cheek, pressing a delicate kiss as he found himself unable to hold back on the affection. Everything about how they’d spent their day together had been better than imagined, even with the added babysitting duties of Rowan, Miles hadn’t minded. The wedding gift and card was in the post and although he was sorry to be missing the event, even the idea of the shadow threatening to make an appearance was enough to feel unsafe. After everything that happened at the party, Miles wasn’t willing to go through a similar experience again. As the evening drew on, he found himself blindly believing that everything had gone without a hitch to the plan. Settling further into the bed, Miles pulled Julia closer to his chest, a low hum falling from his lips in gentle vocalisation of his pleased state. “Are you comfy?” He whispered, pressing another kiss to her cheek.
It wasn’t until a gentle buzz of a notification on his phone broke the peace that he pulled his attention away from Julia, unlocking the phone as tired eyes scanned the news notification. “What the fuck?” Tone hushed as to not wake the sleeping child in the other room. A hazy mind struggled to process, reading the headline again in some hope that he’d misread the news, then once more as the shock settled in. “What the fuck?” He shot up, eyes widened frantically searching his surroundings as if an answer would come to him, “Jules…” Shaking his head in disbelief, he handed his phone to her so she could read the same headline, a somber look falling to his features. Immediately, feet found the floor, a hand tangling into his hair as he paced the confines of the room. A million questions began to race through his mind, none of which had answers. Shock and regret mixed together into a bitter concoction; brows furrowing as he lowered to the floor. “Heidi’s dead…” Came the whisper of acknowledgment, part of him hoping hearing the words out loud would allow for acceptance to sink it, yet that was proving to be a pitiful attempt.
