[ matthew broome. cismale. he/.him. subplot m29. ] welcome back to montclair university, isaiah james bennett ! according to your student file you're a TWENTY TWO year old SOPHOMORE, studying LITERATURE, and funny enough you were voted most likely to keep a secret your senior year of high school back home in GREENWICH CONNECTICUT. i can totally see it with your protective, stoic, and stubborn personality ! but enough about that — i heard you were lizzie harrington's BRIEF ONLINE CONNECTION. makes sense when you take into consideration your status as a scholarship student… and the fact that you're hiding [redacted]. you're often seen at the sinclair reading room, and you kind of embody burned cigarettes, restless eyes, a mirror image of the father you don’t know, whispers of old wounds, sharp tongue and sharper mind, the smell of black coffee every morning not to mention people always seem to hum false confidence by noah kahan when you're around, but you'll always be known on campus as THE OUTSIDER who enjoys writing and has 105 instagram followers… good luck this semester !
BASICS
FULL NAME: isaiah james bennett
FACECLAIM: matthew broome
BIRTH DATE: january 11
AGE: 22
ZODIAC: capricorn
ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: biromantic
SEXUAL ORIENTATION: bisexual
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE & CHARACTERISTICS
EYE COLOR: brown
HAIR COLOR: brown
HEIGHT: 6’1”
TATTOOS: a few tattoos around his arms and ribcage.
STYLE: dark colors. has a leather jacket he likes to wear often. boots or sneakers. doesn't always dress up but if an event calls for it, he will do his best to look well.
MANNERISMS
POSITIVE TRAITS: protective, intelligent, self-reliant
NEGATIVE TRAITS: stubborn, self- sabotaging, distant, can be cynical at times
AESTHETIC: burned cigarettes, restless eyes, a mirror image of the father you don’t know, whispers of old wounds, sharp tongue and sharper mind, the smell of black coffee every morning
BACKGROUND
isaiah was raised by a teenage mom who had very little but was determined to give the best she could to her son. she had some help with her grandparents and that became just about the family isaiah ever knew. of course he knew he had a dad but he just never seemed interested in the life isaiah and his mom had built. not much was told to isaiah other than his father and his parents weren't exactly fond of the relationship his parents once had, and for his mom going through with the pregnancy. of course his father had a legacy to uphold and he would just mess it up. it became a reminder to him as he grew up fully resenting him.
isaiah’s father grew up to be a wealthy and influential man, known in certain circles for his business acumen and social status. he’s the type of man who is rarely emotionally available, caught up in his own world of deals, power, and appearances. their relationship has always been marked by coldness and distance. isaiah can remember the occasional extravagant birthday gift or a brief phone call, but the connection has always felt superficial, more about maintaining appearances than building a bond.
isaiah never quite fit into his father's world of luxury and high expectations, and he’s always been painfully aware that his father sees him as something of a disappointment.
attending montclair shocked his mom, not because of the money, but due to the legacy the university holds, what the school meant to his father. it was far from what isaiah really ever knew but deep down he still feels like he has something to prove despite his stoic demeanor. he still doesn't fully fit in, attending the parties, making friends, but it doesn't always seem like he has it together. he may look like he's finally going to reach the top, but he's still at the bottom of the social heirachy at montclair.
HEADCANONS
isn't much of a drinker although he won't say no to one or two drinks at a party. he prefers to smoke instead, maybe even more recently dabbling in some other party favors.
has long struggled with feelings of isolation and anxiety, though he never speaks about it. he's often restlessness and has an occasional emotional withdrawal that he doesn't often acknowledge. he tries to work through it on his own, but sometimes it feels like he’s drowning in his thoughts.
isaiah has a sarcastic, dry sense of humor that catches people off guard when he chooses to share it. he can be witty, often using humor to deflect from serious topics or to poke fun at the world around him. his humor is sharp, and it’s one of the few times he shows his true personality to others.
he is all around very loyal and protective to those around him. he'll check in on his friends without asking and pretty much be the person they need if they are ever in trouble.
LIZZIE HARRINGTION (BRIEF ONLINE CONNECTION)
isaiah had always known who lizzie harrington was. or at least, he knew of her and the reputation that preceded her. he didn't truly know her, aside from the whispers that surrounded her and the undeniable power she seemed to wield. it was unlike anything he'd ever encountered, which, truth be told, piqued his curiosity. it wasn’t until the previous year that he found himself connecting with the blonde online, a relationship that was meant to be anything but serious. but it didn’t take long for him to remember exactly who he was talking to. the image of her that everyone had, this mix of allure and danger, was something he found strangely captivating. still a nagging feeling gnawed at him, a sense that this could all end in disaster. that somehow he was being set up for some twisted joke, while lizzie had something to gain, and he wanted no part in whatever game he believed she was playing. their online communication ended swiftly, and sometimes, he couldn't help but wonder what her true intentions had been. was he just a pawn in some scheme? he never bothered to ask, though. they went on, each passing the other by, never acknowledging each other in person. even after her mysterious passing, that thought, the unanswered questions, still linger in his mind.
WANTED CONNECTIONS
party friend: someone who has recently been introducing him to partying. he's never been much of one in high school but he's having a different experience at montclair.
unlikely friend: someone who you wouldn't expect to be friends with isaiah. maybe brings out his personality and they feel comfortable with each other.
exes: (1/2) could have ended on good terms or bad. we can figure out if there is any lingering feelings or if something else was at play.
the legacy (family ties): this can be someone who his parents are close friends with his dad. maybe they sort of know the story and upbringing of them. maybe it can even be a distant family from his dad's side who he isn't close to or know much of at all.
enemy: isaiah does not like this person at all. we can come up with any reason as to why they just don't mesh or haven't gotten along. they could have disrespected a friend. if it's a guy, we can even say maybe they had an actual fight. i'm game for anything.
a hookup (past or present), will they won't they, close friends, roommate, etc. i am pretty open to most connections. ofc we don't always need to establish anything and just go with the flow! if you guys have any ideas or wcs i am also down for some of those too <3
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“ and here i thought that stupid party was going to be the last time we’d have to hear lizzie’s name, ” annoyed huff slipping out of her with an eye roll that’s quick to follow. it’s no surprise that she hated lizzie. a hatred that runs so deep, she’s hardly batted an eyelash after hearing about what happened. actually, that’s not true, but brooke would rather be next than admit it to anyone. “ for the record, i’m sure there’s a lot more people that could’ve seen her the night. i mean, girl power and all that, but everyone knows she got around. maybe one of her play things got to her. ”
isaiah wasn’t sure why he still stuck around, listening to brooke ramble on about lizzie. every word that left her mouth made his patience wear thinner, and he could feel his distaste for her growing with each passing second. a laugh slipped out, one that was anything but genuine, more condescending than anything else. this couldn’t be real, could it? but of course, it was. he knew exactly who brooke was, and that knowledge left a bitter taste in his mouth. he glanced over at her, finally fed up, his anger simmering beneath the surface. the way she spoke, so detached and almost casual about it all, pushed him to the edge. without thinking twice, he decided to speak up. "that's a real nice way to talk about what's happened," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "you sure you had no involvement?" the words hung in the air, sharp and accusing, his distaste for her spilling out at last.
eliza had barely even registered who it was that was sat in front of her. but as she heard his voice, her heart dropped. she'd barely spoke to isaiah since they had broken up. she couldn't bring herself to be around him. and yet, he was one of the few people that she actually wanted around right now. she'd almost called him when she had heard the news. almost. but she had just about refrained and now he was here, in front of her. and she so desperately wanted to ask if he'd walk with her. if he'd go anywhere with her. but again, she refrained. "i don't know ... it's great publicity. what's that saying? no such thing as bad press?" elizas tone made it clear what she thought about that and it was anything but positive. "don't do what?" she sighed as she glanced back down at the table. her hands wrapped around the cup in front of her, though there was no warmth left.
isaiah never thought he'd be having a conversation with eliza about a sudden death, especially not lizzie's. he didn’t know much—just that eliza seemed to have grown attached to her, maybe even looked up to her in ways he didn’t quite understand. that thought brought back memories of the past and how he had felt about the ways that she had changed. he let out a quiet sigh, his concern for eliza still weighing on him. even though they had drifted apart over time, that bond, however strained was still there. his eyes dropped to his own hands for a moment, struggling to know what to do, before lifting back to her face, his voice more tentative than he meant it to be. “don’t shut yourself off,” he said softly, as if the words might help. “if you need a way out of here, i can help. if that’s what you want.”
cash has his eyes on the prize while his legs do their due diligence in propelling him forward, making way in a timely - yet sophisticated manner. not an ounce impolite. as he rounds the edge, he sees another sitting in his favorite spot. "is this seat taken?" cash asks with curious eyes and arms full of books. "i swear, my intent is not to bother you." he is already placing books delicately on the stone bench that envelopes the fountain. the bag slung over his shoulder tumbles to the ground delicately. "this spot has the best view is all," he offers a smile with a meek shrugging of his shoulders.
isaiah was lost in his own thoughts, scribbling in his worn out journal, one he’d been carrying around lately to keep some distance from everyone else. or so he thought. when he finally looked up, the sight of the guy in front of him made his stomach tighten with irritation. his own judgments flared, but he didn’t say anything. instead, he moved his stuff aside, choosing not to be an asshole, no reason for that right now. his eyes stayed locked on the guy, carefully sizing him up, still not fully trusting him. "some would say differently," isaiah’s voice came out dry, his guard firmly in place. he wasn’t about to let his defenses drop so easily. "montclair should work on giving students like you better options for the best view, if this is really the best you’ve got." he smirked slightly, his tone shifting just enough to show he wasn’t entirely serious, it was a hard line to read for anyone who didn’t know him well.
eliza was sat in the brew house, a drink that was half drunk in front of her - though it had long since gone cold. she wasn't sure how long she had been there. it could have been hours or it could have been a matter of days. that had been how she had been feeling for most of the day. her memory was patchy since she had heard about lizzie. it felt like she was on some sort of autopilot. she glanced up, though, at the person sitting opposite her, "do you think they'll be there all day?" she asked, nodding over to the crowd of journalists that were still crowded outside. "i feel like i'm trapped here."
isaiah had just stepped into the brew house, not seeking much other than a bit of refuge from the strange day. while he wasn’t as emotionally tied to it as others seemed to be, he still felt it all. he was about to order when his eyes landed on eliza sitting by herself, looking distant and almost unrecognizable, yet her blue eyes still stood out, sharp and striking, like they always had. he couldn’t even remember the last time they’d spoken, but that didn’t stop him from sitting down across from her. for a moment, it seemed like he was in the clear, as she didn’t immediately push him away. his gaze moved to the journalists in the distance before returning to her. "i’m sure the campus will have to intervene at some point," he said, trying his best to sound reasonable, as if offering some kind of calm amidst the chaos. "don’t do that to yourself, el," he added, the words slipping out without thought. it was instinct, a flicker of care that had long been buried.
