#aikenbio

[aikenscrp-blog]

—— RYDER NAVARRO | 28 | MALE | BOB MORLEY

“Sometimes we build such high walls for protection that we forget that our greatest enemy can grow from within.”

                 STATISTICS

Birthday: April 15th, 1988

Birthplace: Aiken, South Carolina

Neighbourhood: Boundary Avenue

Sexuality: Heterosexual

How long have you been in Aiken, South Carolina? 28 years.

                BIOGRAPHY

Most people have an amazing story to tell about their childhood; how great it was, how much it taught him, how different it was from everyone else even though it had been just the same. Ryder, however, had nothing extraordinary to tell. With an average income keeping the family afloat, young Ryder was deprived from a lot of things that some of his friends had; gaming consoles and new bikes were never things he got to talk about. His father always told him that those things were unnecessary, that once he outgrew them, they would be nothing but a reminder of how much money was spent on those “material and momentary things” when it could’ve been spent on better things, like repairing broken things at home or actually having some money for leverage at the end of the month. And so, young Ryder lived his childhood watching as other kids had what he wanted, comparing himself to them and to everything they got and he didn’t. It wasn’t an easy childhood to have and whenever Ryder was sad about not having what other kids had, his father would always tell him someone always had it worse. Father of the year, unwillingly teaching his child that his feelings weren’t worth having if someone always had it worse.

Ryder began noticing that his father wasn’t around as much after he got promoted at his job; he had promised that he’d do everything in his power to come home as much as he could but his promises were shown to be hollow when he wouldn’t even come home some nights. Sometimes, the boy couldn’t even fall asleep knowing that his mother was alone on the other side of the wall and Ryder was left on his room, feeling guilty over something that was not his fault – a young mind and a soon to be broken family shaped his thoughts into a bad shape. So, after a few times, his empathetic young mind made him knock on his mother’s door and ask her what was wrong; quickly, she’d wipe away the tears and would open her arms, letting her child fall asleep on her arms. Ryder didn’t know it back then, but that simple action was enough to make her mother smile and think she wasn’t as alone as she was before. From that moment forth, Ryder’s relationship with his mom was salvaged and, when he didn’t find someone to look up to in his father, he found it in his mother.

It was safe to say that as he grew older, his protective nature only grew bigger, especially over his mother; maybe it was biology, maybe it was the fact that Ryder and his mom had basically become each other’s family after his father decided that work was more important than the people waiting for him back at home. In between playdates with the neighbour’s kids and having sleepovers at other’s kids places, Ryder would sometimes just prefer staying at home with his mother, his father stopping by once every blue moon. People at school would talk, even in middle school, kids could be vicious and make fun of someone else’s family, telling Ryder that he didn’t have a father because he liked work more than he liked his wife – and it didn’t help that the boy had inherited his anger issues from his grandfather; that resulted in him getting detention more often than not. And whenever his father would come home, when he did, which was a miracle on its own, it was only to reprimand his child, tell him that he had to be better, behave better. Ryder would never be enough. And, apparently, neither would his mom.

Coming home after walking from school, his mother was stragely quiet. When he knocked on her bedroom door, she dismissed him, telling him that she was just trying to rest up, saying she had a long day at work. And for hours, he believed that, distracting himself with homework and whatever was on TV. However, when night fell and his stomach growled with hunger, he decided to go upstairs again, try and make his mother come out of the bedroom. He kept knocking and trying and his mother, thankfully, had given up trying to keep her own son away; once she opened the door, he noticed the opened bottle of whiskey, the smell within the room and how his mother looked. Ryder knew his mother was drunk, he had seen people look like her in movies – but he didn’t know what to do. He had never seen her like this so, innocently, he asked what was wrong. In her drunkenness, she replied – told him that his father had another woman but that wasn’t what made her sad and asked that he wouldn’t do or say anything. And that’s all she had said before she passed out, lying on the bed that she was supposed to share with a man that loved her and only her.

Years passed, and he tried to forget the image of her mother looking hurt and feeling hurt. He never looked at his father the same way. Maybe it was because he was biased, seeing his mother as his only family, or maybe it was because he realized how much of a bad parent his father was. At thirteen, he finally realized how used to his life he was – he didn’t miss his father when he didn’t come home for weeks at a time, he didn’t complain about anything or explored his feelings (good and bad) because that was what he thought was supposed to be done – that’s what his father had taught him, even if it had been unplanned. So, from a young age, he repressed his feelings, which didn’t help soothe the anger that he had accumulated over the years of his young life; between feeling abandoned by his father and seeing his mother hurt, there was a lot of unexplored feelings that Ryder didn’t want to get in contact with. One day, however, he came back to a bad surprise wrapped in a moment of happiness. He saw his mother, sitting at the dinner table, another glass in her hand and naturally, he went to her as fast as he could.

It was only when she flinched a bit when she gave his son a hug that Ryder noticed the bruises in her arm and a story to come with it. It wasn’t hard to imagine what happened, especially since he saw his father’s briefcase at the door and his father nowhere to be seen. However, what Ryder could never guess what his mother was about to tell him: he had a half-sister, half an hour away from them. Tears strolled down her face, guilt ridden as she explained to her son that she had gotten involved with a man when Ryder was but a child and it resulted in her getting pregnant. It added up to a few things; how his mother would spent more time at her sister’s house when Ryder was a young boy, more often at the end before she came back like nothing had happened, like she hadn’t almost disappeared for almost five months. Ryder was shocked, angry that his mother hadn’t told him the truth, that she had hid it from him – he should be mad that she lied, that she did to his father what his father did to her only years before that moment. But Ryder couldn’t. Not after what his father had made their life like, what he had done to his wife after she had already been living with the guilt – that’s how Ryder saw it.

His mother told him everything; that his half-sister lived with his aunt, that they were only thirty minutes away, what her father had done, how guilty she felt for decades, that she had been fired long ago and was using her work time to be with her other daughter. That only fueled emotions within Ryder that he would never deal with: after all, her mother had it worse, his feelings felt invalid compared to hers. So, he swallowed and let it build inside of him, ignoring what he wanted to say and do and feel. When his father came home, he spared no words when addressing Ryder’s mother, calling her names, throwing all of her stuff around and not trying to not hit him or his mother while he was at it. Putting his arms around his mother, he took her out of harm’s way and locked both of them inside of his own room, waiting for his father to calm down. In the middle of the night, he heard the door slam shut and woke up, realizing that his father had left. That was the last time he ever heard or saw his father. Not giving him enough time to deal with what happened, his mother introduced him to his half-sister the next day.

She was his mother’s copy, which only prompted a sense of protectiveness over the younger girl; whether it was because he was supposed to be the big brother, supposed to take on the protective role no matter what or because he saw in the sister he had just met a younger version of his mom, he didn’t know. Moving her into the house, it was only the three of them now, in a house that had known what was going on only a day before. It was a big change; his father left, his mother was dealing with her own things and now he had an half-sister to take care of – but before he gave himself the time to deal with everything, he took on the role of the man of the house. Protective and wanting nothing but the best for his mother and, consequently, his new sister, Ryder matured faster than most boys of his age. No games, no playing around, no nothing. He had to look after himself and take care of his sister so his mother wouldn’t have more on her hands than work, which she had to endure to keep them afloat. When he was old enough, he’d take part time jobs here and there, all throughout high school and college; and after he graduated, he enrolled in the police academy.

Working his ass off, he graduated top of his class and it wasn’t long before he started working on the field, being paired up with an old, experienced cop seeing as his partner had retired due to an injury. Years passed by and Ryder built a reputation for himself; tough but fair, easy to anger but protective. His mother and sister were happy and things were going well for him; however, that didn’t last long. His partner got shot and it wasn’t long until he bled out right in front of him. And there was nothing Ryder could’ve done to save him but still, he blames himself for not being able to protect someone that he swore he’d always watch his back just like his partner had always watched his. It was the situation with his mother over and over again, a fear of his becoming real: not being able to protect someone he cared for. Although he had gotten shot too, it wasn’t something he couldn’t deal with – after all, his partner was dying and all he got was a bullet wound on his side. After he recovered and after his partner’s funeral, he went back to work but it wasn’t the same. The guilt consumed him and it was as if everyone blamed him too. And, from some comments he got, they did.

It was safe to say that everything had take its toll on him and, for the first time in years, he actually got down time enough to let his emotions get the best of him, quickly getting angered at the precinct. His boss called him over right after and told him to take some time off to fully recover and to cool off. Instead, Ryder, still angry, put his badge and gun on the table and left. A few months after, he got a job as a bartender just to keep his family afloat. His wound isn’t completely healed yet but the pain was nothing he didn’t think he deserved so he deals with it. For the last few months, he’s been working at the local bar, doing late nights and barely sleeping when he gets home, just trying to get by and protect his family.

               PERSONALITY

Due to the fact that he was raised to believe that his feelings weren’t important, Ryder rarely deals with his emotions the way they should be dealt with. Although he’s very loyal, protective and kind at its core, he has a hard time showing the latter due to the fact that he’s very distrusting of people. At the end of the day, he has a few self-loathing tendencies and has no trouble getting into fights and getting himself hurt if his patience is tested. Used to the physical pain and believing he can handle it, Ryder has little to no regard for his own personal safety anymore. One of Ryder’s most prominent trait is his sarcasm, falling under the cliché of using it as a defense mechanism. He has a hard time letting people get close to him but when he does trust them, and unless they break that trust, Ryder will always have their back and is a very loyal friend to have. It’s a contrast he has towards his own well being, seeing as he never puts himself first. That’s not to say he lets himself get pushed around but when it comes to people and their hateful words and actions towards him, he will either get very angry or let himself take the beating for he thinks he deserves it.

[aikenscrp-blog]

—— CHELSEA MERCURY | 28 | FEMALE | DEBORAH ANN WOLL

“ I know it’s not the right time tonight, but I won’t move until this stops. Go back to the top, back to the top.”

                  STATISTICS

Birthday: May 2, 1988

Birthplace: Bridgeport, Connecticut

Neighbourhood: Boundary Avenue

Sexuality: Undecided

How long have you been in Aiken, South Carolina? 2 years.

                 BIOGRAPHY

Chelsea Mercury grew up every bit the privileged girl in such a wealthy family as any young child can only dream of being part of. Of course, being surrounded only by other children of wealthy families, no child in her immediate surroundings ever really dreamed of being her, or of their family having the same kind of wealth as hers – in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the type of people her parents surrounded themselves with were like-minded, and shared the same ideals. Mainly being that their wealth was their own, however they’d earned it, and as such they deserved to live a life of luxury without guilt or without thinking of anyone else. There was a thin line for Chelsea to tread as a child, as she could either become a product of her parents, or a product of herself – although it became obvious from a very young age that she was going to become a product of herself. She was a messy, loud, and energetic child, and in every possible way Chelsea did the opposite of what her parents wanted her to – which, as she grew older and it stopped merely being the antics of a toddler, created a bit of a strain between them. The difference between Chelsea and her parents continued to grow with the years, and rather than work through it, they found themselves at constant odds with each other. The maturity of age – whether Chelsea’s or her parents – stood no match against an upper class couple wanting for their child everything their child grew up to despise, and so eventually, most of the bridge between them had burned. When Chelsea was eighteen years old, she took the money her parents had thankfully been saving for her college education, moved away from home, and severed all ties to the Bridgeport world she’d known her entire life. Her parents were livid, and her mother more than anyone, but being eighteen and having full access to what was now her money, there wasn’t anything they could do to stop her. Chelsea settled down in the nearby small town to figure out what she was going to do, although after a month or so she decided to utilize her parents’ money and get an education that she’d sorely need. She enrolled in the local community college, took literature and journalism-oriented classes, since they were really the only things that interested her at the time – and it turned out to be a good choice. Soon, Chelsea could transfer her community college credits to a university, and with a friend she moved to San Francisco in order to pursue a bachelor’s degree. The money she’d gotten from her parents were running out, however, and so she had to take up an extra job as a waitress to make ends meet as comfortably as she could. With the years, Chelsea got more and more involved with local newspapers, submitting her work to them already in her second year at college, and so the relatively slow ascension of her career started. Quickly she found her niche, taking a passionate interest in exposés and investigative journalism – she did a particular exposé on a state senator that got significant attention – and burrowing into that corner of journalism as hard as she could. It was through her work that she met the person who’d come to be most important to her in her entire life. Aaliyah Bellweather was a journalist just like her, and Chelsea met the woman when they were both attending a conference out of their respective hometowns – the two spent the weekend bonding together, becoming steadfast friends who continued to keep in touch afterwards. It wasn’t until a couple of months later that Chelsea made an excuse to visit Aaliyah where she lived in Aiken, South Carolina, and it was during this occasion that she asked her out – and she said yes. The two dated long distance for about two years before they got engaged and Chelsea moved to Aiken, and after a year and a half of an engagement, the big day finally came – but it didn’t last all the way through. Just as Aaliyah was walking down the aisle, she seemed to change her mind in the blink of an eye and run the other way – and suddenly, Chelsea’s ears were ringing and her maid of honor and best man both were scrambling to save the situation while escorting Chelsea away from the crowd of relatives, away from her mother’s smug, triumphant look that held all the contempt she’d always had for Chelsea and Aaliyah’s relationship. Devastated, Chelsea became somewhat of a hermit for the next three weeks as she dealt with the hurt and pain of having been abandoned by her fianceé. When she emerged, she found that she still couldn’t face her friends and family, so she moved temporarily from Aiken and threw herself instead into the one thing she had left untainted; work. A new exposé, much more in-depth, and much more researched than any she’d ever done was in order – Chelsea wanted to think of nothing else than this, and so she set after a rumored member of the Los Angeles crime family, being gone for nearly five months working on it. Eventually her resources were exhausted and she had to return home, and she’s now been back in Aiken for about a month, filing away on the exposé from the house she and Aaliyah used to live in together. As it turns out, though, five months wasn’t nearly enough time to get over what happened, and that new exposé might not have been the best of ideas…

                PERSONALITY

Not afraid to voice her opinion, Chelsea will argue and joke in equal measures if she sees that’s what the situation calls for. While no longer the energetic person she was as a child, Chelsea nevertheless doesn’t shy away from company, and there’s always a smile on her lips unless a person or situation gives her cause to hide it. Get her talking about something she cares for or is passionate about, and she can be a bit of a chatterbox, often letting loose secrets that others have told her about their personal lives because the thought makes it to the tip of her tongue before she can react – but her conscience often makes her suffer for it, to even the scales. Being a person with so much passion, it’s easy for Chelsea to overload on it – argue with her and you’re sure to rile her up if you manage to say all the right (or wrong) things, and it isn’t always a pretty sight. Not to mention she can hold a hell of a grudge.

[aikenscrp-blog]

—— TIMOTHY TAYLOR | 28 | MALE | AARON TVEIT

“Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will; don’t let it decide your future. You can be comfortable or courageous, but not both at once.”

                   STATISTICS

Birthday: January 27th, 1988

Birthplace: Aiken, South Carolina

Neighbourhood: Springdale

Sexuality: Heterosexual

How long have you been in Aiken, South Carolina? 28 years.

                  BIOGRAPHY

Doubt.

It’s an emotion that never quite seems to fade from mind. Though less obvious to detect than anger or sorrow, it can prove to be just as hazardous. It plants itself like a seed and continues to grow as a person questions whether or not their decisions in life were the right ones. For some, the fear of change or deviating from their comfort zone poses too much of a risk, but for young Tim Taylor, he’d known since childhood that what he was doing, and what he wanted to do, were two completely different things.

Born into a life of opulence, he had every opportunity at his fingertips. His parents were well-off in aspects of wealth and success, and could afford the best education for their children, but despite their good fortune, Tim’s options were limited to that of what his parents preferred. The idea that he would eventually take over his father’s law firm was all but imposed on him since childhood, regardless of whether he wanted the position or not. Arguments and opposition were prohibited in their household, which as a result, taught Tim that is was better to avoid his problems rather than face confrontation. It wasn’t until he was granted permission to try out for sports that he felt like his fate was finally in his own hands. He was allowed freedom with less structure, while at the same time finding the exhilaration of the game to be a helpful coping mechanism to the stress in his life.

Faced with the day-to-day pressure to live up to his parents’ expectations, Tim turned to his twin sister for support, who was the only person who could truly understand his experiences. The two were as close as siblings could be, but still…not even she could have predicted what her brother had planned to do next. Following their high school graduation, Tim surprised everyone when he declined his admission to Yale—his father’s alma mater—to accept an athletic scholarship to Stanford University in California. His parents’ blatant criticism came as no surprise, which concluded with a summer of long-winded spiels and heated disputes, but in the end, it made no difference in Tim’s eyes. He’d grown tired of leading a life dictated by other people and wanted the chance to forge his own path. There was no guarantee things would turn out the way he hoped, but at least he’d be able to sleep at night knowing it was his decision.

Over the next four years he studied and obtained a degree in sports medicine. Tim also ran cross country and played Division I soccer for Stanford. Before the start of his senior year, he took the opportunity to study abroad in Europe, where he fell in love with traveling. He trained to become an expedition leader and climbed some of the most beautiful mountains and summits in the world. Tim had always been one to follow the beat of his own drum, and the year he spent abroad only served to reinforce his yearning for adventure.

Upon receiving his diploma, Tim didn’t jump into a career right away. Instead, he used some of the money from his trust fund to travel the world. He was in the best shape of his life and didn’t want to waste his time working a desk job, and he knew he couldn’t return to Aiken without having to face everyone he left behind, so he did the one thing he was accustomed to doing—he ran. The newfound freedom excited him; he had no more restraints, no responsibilities. He was free to go wherever the wind took him. Tim did everything from hiking in the Himalayas to snowboarding down the steep slopes of the Swiss Alps, while in his spare time he continued his work as a guide for other young climbers. He became one of the most talked about mountaineers, landing him a cover and 3-page spread in National Geographic.

For the next few years, Tim kept to himself for the most part and focused on his craft, hoping to conquer bigger feats in the future. He started up conversation with his family once again, trying to remain in contact as best he could, sending a post card every now and then and visiting during Christmas. There was never much conversation involved; the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife, but everyone managed to remain civil, despite the circumstances. It wasn’t until Tim turned 28 that he found himself returning to his hometown for a longer duration of time.

A phone call from his sister revealed that their paternal grandmother had passed away. Tim came home for the funeral to a grieving father who, frankly, wasn’t in the mood to allow his son a free pass any longer. Mr. Taylor was approaching the age where retirement was becoming more and more a reality, which meant he needed to have someone he trusted to take over the firm once he left. Feeling as if he were back to square one with his father, Tim declined the elder man’s offer and cut himself off from his family’s funds, claiming he hadn’t needed their support for awhile now. Most of the money Tim had procured on his own over the years had gone to various charities, but he had enough to purchase a small house in Springdale. He has no intention of making his stay in Aiken a drawn-out one, but perhaps just long enough to make amends with his family and find acceptance from his father.

                 PERSONALITY

Tim has always been a very courageous and adventurous person, which could explain why he and his father clash so often. He has a risk-taking mentality, and is terrified of the thought of leading a mediocre life. This can cause him to make decisions too hastily and disregard the consequences, which have negative effects later. Some people regard him as childish or immature, only because he never seems to take things seriously.

He doesn’t exhaust much time planning for the future, or even the next day, and is adamant about living in the moment. When a situation becomes complicated, however, that’s when he tries his best to avoid it. He doesn’t like confrontation and is usually a very calm person, so he’d rather see if a problem works itself out before he makes any attempt to fix it. Tim has the same way of thinking when it comes to relationships as well. He’s never been in a serious relationship, and usually cuts ties with the girl before it has a chance to progress. It goes along with being independent and not wanting to tie himself down. His lifestyle is better suited if he doesn’t have ties to other people.

[aikenscrp-blog]

—— BRIGITTE KAUFMAN | 27 | FEMALE | AMBER HEARD

“ I’m fucked up, I’m black and blue; I’m built for all the abuse.”

                       STATISTICS

Birthday: January 22nd, 1989

Birthplace: Penza, Russia

Neighbourhood: Chestnut Brown

Sexuality: Bisexual

How long have you been in Aiken, South Carolina? 3 weeks.

                      BIOGRAPHY

In the middle of the snowy night, 3 am to be exact, at Penza, third poorest city in the grand Russia, a baby girl was born to teen mother, Natalya Ilyanova. Natalya was working as a servant for one of the richest family in Penza, the Romanov’s. She was ‘knocked up’ by the householder, who simply refused to take part in his daughters life. All he offered Natalya was money for abortion – when she refused to go through with it, he still gave her money to leave the country and not ruin his perfect reputation.

From early age, the instinct of survival was carved into Yelena’s brain. All the nights she and her mother spent in cold, the possibility of starvation and dire need of income grew her heart colder for a child in her age. Their days of desperation ended when a wealthy couple from New York needed a multilingual care-taker for their seven year old daughter. The Castell’s lived in upper east side and Mrs Castell’s father was from Russia – she was currently obsessed with her origins, so she thought her daughter should learn her roots too. The family decided to employee Natalya as her main nanny, part-time house keeper and for Yelena… Well, she was the little “princess”’ personal, living doll.

Years passed and Natalya was now too old to take care of Castell’s mansion; not the mention their daughter was now a teenager and definitely did not need a nanny either. With the money left in their hands, Natalya wanted to go back to Russia for a fresh start but Yelena refused. She was accepted to University of South Carolina and she was never and ever going back to the same place that ruined her mother’s life. They agreed for Natalya to move into another city, not Penza, and this was the very beginning of Brigitte Yelena Ilyanova’s life.

Blonde stopped using Yelena as her first name, and set a goal for herself. She would stop at nothing until she reached it. Young Ilyanova was already sophisticated and literate enough, thanks to amazing care of Castell’s, and  she was ready to take over the world. Brigitte finished her “Business and International Affairs” as the top of her class, and couple days before her graduation, she met her husband.

He was a couple years older than her, but good looking – most importantly, he was richer than she could ever imagine. Richard fell for her immediately; after all, she was everything a man needed… Gorgeous, young, obedient, challenging and educated. They were married in matter of months, and decided to leave Aiken. Richard loved his wife so dearly that he accepted her request to move to NY in a heartbeat. Now Brigitte had everything she wanted – the glamours life of a socialite. The only problem was his heart problems. Even though there were only ten years between them, he was exhausted pretty quickly. With the responsibilities of being a CEO, one night, after they “made love” he had a heart-attack.

It was sudden. His death caught everyone by surprise, but mostly his family who lived in Germany. They accused Brigitte, claiming she had plotted his death. Luckily enough for Mrs Kaufman, the coroner ruled Richard’s death as natural causes. — But the story was out. Her face was on the cover of every magazine, including news papers. People were calling her gold-digger, killer trophy wife and many more. Her ‘friends’ swiftly turned their backs on her — no matter how rich she was, Yelena was lonely once again.

With a rush decision, widower decided to return the only place she was truly happy ((after NY, until his death, of course)) Aiken. This time she wasn’t the poor, guileless girl who needed someone to take care of her. She was a survivor, a queen.

                     PERSONALITY

Brigitte Yelena Kaufman knows what a real hardship is. She has faced it many times, in different shapes — but all of them had one thing in common; she didn’t stop until it was ceased to exist.

Growing up, 'envy’ was the most common thing she felt. She’s and will forever be thankful to Castell’s for not discriminating her from their own daughter, of course not visibly. But she hated the feeling. She hated relying on someone else, to feel the constant urge to thank. Yelena clearly didn’t want their pity… What was the point of going to the same private school as Castell’s daughter anyway? (( Except the education of course, she took it very seriously because she needed to prove herself to others )) She was never able to attend the parties nor throw one, date anyone or find a true companion because they all knew who she was. Maid’s daughter. Poor girl. Yelena learned to bottle her feelings up, keep the poker face on.

When she met Richard, she knew he was going to be the one. He was nice, slightly older but still good-looking. He needed someone to listen to him, share his fears and she became what he needed. She listened, cared and most importantly, delivered her duties as a trophy wife. It was kind of tragic because girl never loved him, at least not the same way he loved her. To be honest, she hated the idea of love – it made people weak and there was no place for weak people in this world.

Yelena is a true survivor. For a woman with her looks, she’s insecure, especially about where she came and her family. She cares about what people think of her more than anything else, which is probably her biggest problem. This young woman would stop at nothing to get what she wants and wouldn’t mind throwing someone over a cliff, just to save her ass. She’s over-protective of her loved ones, mostly mother because she’s not a people-person.

[aikenscrp-blog]

—— DEREK BEAUFORD | 34 | MALE | CHARLIE HUNNAM

“Scar tissue has no character. It’s not like skin. It doesn’t show age or illness or pallor or tan. It has no pores, no hair, no wrinkles. It’s like a slip cover. It shields and disguises what’s beneath. That’s why we grow it; we have something to hide.”

                        STATISTICS

Birthday: May 21st, 1982

Birthplace: Aiken, South Carolina

Neighbourhood: Whiskey Creek

Sexuality: Pansexual

How long have you been in Aiken, South Carolina? 34 years.

                       BIOGRAPHY

To say that Derek’s upbringing and family had been unconventional would be an understatement. His parents, both high school sweethearts, had married at a very young age without any regards of their parents and extended family’s opinion. It was rushed, but they knew that they wanted to spend their life with one another and while they’d made a rushed decision, they promised to wait to begin their family as they both had various plans before they settled down. They visited the world and continued their studies until later on, almost at the age of thirty, they decided to set down roots by having their first child, Derek. He was a bundle of joy and while a child could often be the saving grace amongst a couple, it was only the beginning of the Beauford’s downfall. Their love had slowly, almost unnoticeably, diminished. At least, it was the case for his father, his mother on the other hand, had begun to have confusing feelings about her sexuality. And so, with the confession about her desires to pursue a relationship with a coworker, Derek’s parents decided to have a divorce. It could have ended horribly, mixed with guilt and pent up anger, but their love for their only son was what kept them on good terms. They worked together to provide the best life for their only child.

Derek had never truly felt the effect of divorce for as far as he could remember, his norm had always been two households, four parents, two bedrooms and one week spent in two different locations. It could have been worse, not many had four loving parents who loved their child while respecting each couple. His parent’s friendship had only grown from their divorce and the constant need to work together for occasions such as birthday parties and school recitals. Graced with good looks and an addictive personality, Derek never quite felt the effect of growing up with a mother who had a same sex partner. He was both respected and loved in school, and for the majority of his schooling, was a good kid who followed the straight and narrow. However, school had never truly been one of his gifts as he struggled through each year until he finally managed, by some miracle, to get a high school degree. However, it had been very known to his parents that he had no desire to continue with school when he left high school. While they echoed their opinions on the matter, they also made it known that they’d be supportive of any route he descended as they knew that Derek had a good head on his shoulders.

Bartending had only meant to be an in between, an easy job to take on until he found something better. At least he wasn’t the one dancing on the stage, he told himself, for he’d taken up a job at a male strip club. He made good money, but still, he struggled to make ends meat. The rest had happened far too quickly for him to truly understand or comprehend. With a comment about his experience as a dancer, it was enough to have him fill in a missing slot one night. Even now, he can still remember how hard his heart pounded in his chest as the crowd cheered and wooed, though not as hard as it did when he counted his money later on that night. It was an easy-shift, though he made sure to keep his family in the dark about his new position at the club. For years, the male danced and made more money than he could ever imagine. But he knew that his job could and would affect his personal life. Future relationship and friendships were strained due to jealousy and a variety of reasons, though he could not fathom how he would ever part with such a pay check. Until one night, when a large party entered, and Derek met a manager who worked with high paying musicians. He’d watched him dance and offered him an audition on the spot for a back up dancer. The male, enthusiastic and always prepared for a new adventure, decided to go. The process was longer than he’d expected, but worth every single minute in the end, when he received that phone call announcing him that he could finally leave the one dollar bills behind.

Derek is now a professional choreographer. A job he’s taken on for the sole purpose to be more present. After he’d met someone who had two children, and became a large part of his life, he couldn’t envision himself embarking on a bus and travelling anymore. He wanted to stay home and do what he could to support the family he’d managed to make. However, to say that he’s relationship is the norm would be the understatement of the year. As long as the children he’s come to adore and the love of his life he couldn’t imagine ever being apart of are healthy and happy, that’s all that truly matters to him. After accepting a job at a prestigious dance studio in the neighbouring town, he now teaches dance to dancers who’re possibly looking at making dance a career choice. While he often misses the busy travel life he once had, he wouldn’t give it up for the world. His two children, while not his biologically, are really the only thing that keeps him going for the most part.

                      PERSONALITY

Derek is always up for a fun time. He’s the first person on the dance floor and often the last one to leave as well. His easy-going and charming personality has made it easy for him to make an abundance of friends and acquaintances in town. However, he’s not afraid to speak up for those who cannot. He’s very protective of the ones he loves, and will do anything for them, no matter the time of day. With that being said, he can be a little impatient and harsh on himself when it comes to his work and training. He’ll often exhaust himself until he’s managed to pull off a certain move he’s been trying to do for weeks. With a supportive family, he’s often very adventurous and throws himself into anything head first.

[aikenscrp-blog]

—— MASON KAUWEKE | 37 | MALE | JASON MOMOA

“He feels naked when speaking about things he really loves.”

                       STATISTICS

Birthday: October 30th, 1978.

Birthplace: Aiken, South Carolina

Neighbourhood: Whiskey Creek

Sexuality: Closeted Gay

How long have you been in Aiken, South Carolina? 37 years.

                      BIOGRAPHY

Mason had lived a life that many would find themselves grateful for. Rather than live among a household where he was an unplanned child, possibly with thin walls that echoed the screams that he might have heard as a child from his bedroom, he lived in a bedroom that was bigger than other people’s houses. Rather than be raised by a single mother would have had to struggle, day in and day out, he was raised by a woman who claimed she’d always wanted children. By two parents that had what he thought was the American dream. Even at a young age, they possessed a sort of poise and grace that he’d only ever seen on television, with celebrities and the like. He was in constant awe of them, unable to see the cracks and flaws that were so easily masked by money and just enough make-up.

However, eventually the foundation shone through. It wasn’t until he was old enough to question more about his life, his heritage and what exactly this meant for him the past, present, and future that he could see his adoptive mother’s mask slip. It wasn’t that she was a bad person, that wasn’t what he thought. He just felt the need to question, not only her but all that surrounded him. It was natural for him, for curiosity to take hold with a death grip and he had to search before it’d let go. She, however, took this personally and would come back defensive, sensitive of his questions. His father was the ever silent guardian, though more so for his mother than for him. He had been that way since he was discharged honorably from service with the military. Strong, silent. It took prying through files for him to even find out that his birth place had been in Hawaii, not in Georgia. His name, he would come to find after fight and fight with his mother who served as the District Attorney, was not just Mason Anderson.

He was Mason Maka Koa Kauweke-Anderson. He learned more as time went on, as his mother aged and his father was worn down by him and his adoptive siblings. All of which pressed and pressed for more knowledge. They took his lead. His parents had always looked, in their town, as the angels of their generation. They had three children, all very different from themselves. They took them in, fed them, housed them in what some might have referred to as tough love. While Mason was more or less fine with all of that, he eventually diverged from their beliefs. As a child, he willingly participated in all that they wanted him to. From school functions to church events, he was compliant. A good kid. However, he listened to the sermons. He listened to how strict the rules and laws of God were. It made him uncomfortable, to believe in such a force when people suffered. He couldn’t believe some of what he heard, unable to understand how this gave his parents solace. Still, he never spoke on those matters as he knew it would only fall on deaf ears. He abandoned the hope with a sad ease.

Mason was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He longed to visit, so much so that he worked up the courage in his pre-teen years to inquire upon this topic with both of his parents. He was laughed off. There was never a true reasoning behind never being allowed to visit the place of his birth, especially since he’d known that money would not have been an issue behind it. With all that they had, he thought that they could have afforded one visit, at the very least. He would never learn of his family that was still there, he wouldn’t learn of his father who was of Native American origin, of his mother who was both Irish and Native Hawaiian. Of his uncle who was a professional surfer, of where his smile was from and if he’d been taller than both of his parents or if they were both close to his height. Even though he wondered this, even as he aged into a young adult, he did nothing about it. Instead, he delved deep in his studies at school. High school hadn’t been easy, especially having been born into a family of prominent people. With money and a high GPA, he was able to get into an Ivy League school which was the first time he’d been away from his family.

It was then that he met his wife, a spit-fire lawyer that had been his match. Janelle was all that his family had wanted for him. She was bright, intelligent beyond her years. For a few years, the couple worked out of the next city over, until his family queried about them joining their business. Both were hired on, glad to be a part of a family-run, family oriented business. Their romance had been a classic tale of a whirlwind romance, even ending with a quick, impromptu wedding. His parents had been thrilled by his choice, having found a successful woman to spend the rest of his life with. So, he’d thought. After the birth of their twins, Maleko and Malia, the aura around the power couple only became more and more tense. Eventually, the arguments became too severe and as Mason continued to learn more about himself, including his own identity and his need to become his own person separated from what his parents had created, Janelle called it quits. It happened in what he thought could’ve easily been a flash. One minute she was there, the next she was gone. Divorced. A single parent. He had no way of reaching her, of trying to bring her back into his and the kids’ lives. There would be no reconciliation, this was an ending.

However, as most relationships went, this also provided a beginning for Mason. It had been nearly three years since his wife had left him and in that three years, Mason has done a secret overhaul to his life. Not only has he explored more about himself and his identity, but he’s also come to realize that being a lawyer like his parents had wanted was not what he wanted. Gone are the constant stiff suits that he wore and instead, he has begun to train tirelessly for fights. In the past, he went to the gym on a daily basis, claimed it a sanctuary of sorts. In fact, he met a handful of the most interesting people he’d come to call his friends there. He felt at home there, even brought his two twin children who are just about to turn five. He hasn’t gotten any sponsors yet nor had his first big fight, but he has trained for the three years that he has been away and is itching to get into the ring soon. However, there is more to him that meets the eye. That same information that he keeps from people around him is what sent Janelle away from him. The secret that he keeps isn’t a death sentence nor is it worth the enigmatic nature it sometimes provides. All it does is keep him from being happy.

Currently, he is training at the gym in Aiken and attempting to book a few sponsors in order to achieve his goal. Being as he’s older, it has become slightly more difficult than if he had begun this when he was far younger. There are older MMA fighters that have gone professional, though are far more established than Mason is and already had begun training when they were younger than him. Still he is in decent enough shape and he thinks that he will be able to do be a part of this life for at least a good several years. Meanwhile, he hasn’t yet told either of his parents nor his siblings about this new venture, keeping it mostly between himself and the few that he does trust. More or less, he’s afraid to tell his parents, his mother especially who would likely be mortified with his new career.

                     PERSONALITY

Mason is the epitome of a lawyer-military veteran and DA’s son. He is stern, serious, and often looks a little angrier than he really is. From the way he stands to the suit he wears, it’s more than obvious what his profession should be. He also possesses the typical qualities of a lawyer which include being capable of holding his own in an argument and being very persuasive. When it comes to his love life however, he is less able to do either of these things. He isn’t confident enough. Instead, he’s a little bit clueless and often times comes off more as a rather un-hip dad than anything else. Still, love is important to him. Not always romantic, but even platonic and familial love, as well. When he has to be, he can be both friendly as well as downright cruel. Most often though, he’s somewhere in a happy medium, teetering more towards kind. Even more so around children, especially his twin kids. He isn’t the best listener and her certainly isn’t the greatest cook, but he has a couple good jokes and he thinks he can lift a car. He might not be the best person and he’ll admit to that, but he certainly is a good person.

[aikenscrp-blog]

—— GRACE PARRISH | 27 | FEMALE | CANDICE KING

“ You have stardust in your veins, darling. That’s why, sometimes, it hurts to breathe.”

                    STATISTICS

Birthday: May 13th, 1989

Birthplace: Blue Ridge, Georgia

Neighbourhood: Whiskey Creek

Sexuality: Bisexual / Biromantic

How long have you been in Aiken, South Carolina? 27 years.

                   BIOGRAPHY

Grace Parrish was born on the 13th May in the year 1989 in her parents’ house in Aiken. Born after two older sisters, she was constantly surrounded by people who dearly loved her. Growing to be a lively and happy child, she never had many troubles growing up. Her parents owned a small restaurant down the road and worked day and night to keep it running, causing Grace’s older sisters to be the ones to really raise her. When she was five, however, the stress of working so much took a toll on her father. He ended up having a heart attack, and while he survived, he knew he had to change something about the way he led his life if he wanted to grow old with his wife and children. Therefore her parents made the tough decision to sell their restaurant – seeing as it had become a greatly loved establishment though, they got quite a lot of money when selling it. Enough to provide their daughters with everything they wanted and lead a nice comfortable life themselves at the same time.

Grace grew to be a beloved child beyond her childhood days though. In High School she never had any troubles finding friends, she was the happy go lucky cheerleader next door. Her grades were decent but never surprising. Her free time was spent either hanging out with friends, training or doing her homework. At least that was until she had her first kiss at a sleepover at her best friends – with a girl. What was just a game for many others was the first step in Grace’s life towards figuring herself out. She had her first sexual experiences with girls before moving on to boys, and while plenty of others thought the girl experiences were just for fun, Grace herself never made a secret out of her sexuality.

While her parents were rather confused by it, her sisters supported her all the way. After graduating High School, Grace went on to college without an idea what she really wanted to study. But it turned out she wouldn’t be focused on studying anytime soon anyway. Within her first year, she met a man at one of the parties she fell in love with head over heels. He was a marine who came to visit a friend, and walked her home as her friends left her behind. They used the two weeks he spent in town to the fullest, and by the time she had to leave her heart was aching, and her eyes burning with tears. The next time he came back to town, they were an official couple and stayed it all throughout Grace’s college years. She decided to put her focus on management, but in her free time she baked whenever her friends were busy with their changing relationships. Her plan was to open her own small bakery once she finished college, and so she did.

The night of the opening, her boyfriend surprised her with a visit that hadn’t been planned, and an engagement ring to her finger. While their relationship was tough and weighed down by fear, fights and distance, the moments they got to spend together were amazing.

But then, a little more than a year ago, a positive pregnancy test turned her life upside down. Grace couldn’t quite believe what she saw – their plans had been different after all. They wanted to wait one more year until he’d leave the marines, then marry, then have children. This was different, but she figured it might be a reason to finally get started on their life together. It took her a week to be able to reach her boyfriend though, and when she finally got to tell him about the pregnancy, it would be the last time they talked. Afterwards, she never heard from him again. Not knowing whether something happened to him or if he avoided her because of the pregnancy, Grace had a proper breakdown as she realized she would have to do this on her own. She had her sisters and parents, of course, but being a single parent had never been her plan.

She wanted to have her child though and went through all of the pregnancy hoping her boyfriend would return. Only when she gave birth and he wasn’t there, she started to understand that she was truly in this alone. Her little girl called Emma is now six months old, and Grace is almost breaking underneath the pressure of having her own bakery and a baby to take care of. But she smiles through it.

                  PERSONALITY

Grace is a literal sunshine. She smiles wherever she goes, whoever she meets, and no matter her own mood. She never shows her true emotions when they happen to be negative, but pretends that everything is fine. She listens to other people’s problems and tries to help them out as often as possible, but never really brings herself and her own problems into such conversations. Grace will do anything in her power to help others out, and often likes to think she’s stronger than she really feels. Afraid to appear weak, she will rather cry on her own locked up in the bathroom than show her true emotions and exhaustion to others, not even her sisters, parents or best friends.

[aikenscrp-blog]

—— ROMAN TAYLOR | 31 | MALE | JAKE GYLLENHAAL

“My black fire’s burning bright, maybe I’ll go out tonight.”

                     STATISTICS

Birthday: May 17th, 1985

Birthplace: Blue Ridge, Georgia

Neighbourhood: Chestnut Brown

Sexuality: Bisexual

How long have you been in Aiken, South Carolina? 24 years.

                    BIOGRAPHY

Iris was a woman of simple tastes. She’d grown up in the countryside without much more than her family’s acres of fruit trees, and her schedule stayed the same year after year. Plant, wait, harvest, then sell what she hoped would be enough to keep her family full through winter. She was good with numbers like that. When her mother fell ill one fall, she was forced to move into the city to afford her care.

This was where she met Jonathan Taylor. Charming, dark, mysterious and as rich as they come. Never having been one to be wooed, she feel for him quickly, and he her. Their week together seemed to pass too quickly, but he promised on his life he’d be back to see her. And he kept true to that. Months on end he’d find a few days to come and see her.

One trip he came to her apartment to find her in hysterics - half a dozen positive pregnancy tests strewn around her. The news didn’t go over well and John was forced to admit that he had a wife in South Carolina. He agreed to pay a hefty child support and to be a part of their life as long as Iris kept both quiet and out of the way.

And she did. For seven years, Roman was raised on the farm, just like her. He was bright, playful, and seemed to have a never ending supply of energy. His father would pick weeks out of the year to take him on a trip to the Keys, or Baton Rogue, maybe even camping in Utah, but he never stayed long and never offered an explanation. He accepted it as his reality.

Miriam Taylor was not the sharpest tool in the shed, but it’d been years of unexplained business trips and what seemed to be John simply burning money away at ‘charities’ in other states. She’d been cleaning the house when she found John’s wallet, forgotten by the working man on his way out the door, and instead of photos of their tenth anniversary or their daughter, it was several battered ones of Roman and Iris.

After the accusations had been made and proven, he managed to calm her down - and to convince her that inviting Roman to live with them was a good idea. The invitation was accepted and he moved in just before his eighth birthday.

His arrival was not well received into the town - it was hardly recieved at all. It was easy for him to slip into the background, develop a few close friend and ride it out. School was easy. He got good marks, had supportive friends and family, didn’t get into too much trouble. He was accepted into a prestigious local law school, fell in love, then wandered too easily into the family business.

Upon graduation, he felt his first heartbreak. What was meant to be loyalty turned into something much worse - something twisted. He discovered how empty he felt. He had a good job and good friends, but he still felt like he was alone. Solace was found at the bottom of bottles; wether they be wine, beer, whiskey. He still had a grip on his life and tried not to let too many people in on such a tired secret.

Currently, he’s successful as ever. In line to inherit the family company, wealthy, a picture perfect house in the Brown. On the other side, his drinking has all but consumed his life and meaningful connections are all but a thing of the past.

                   PERSONALITY

Roman is not unlike a coin. Heads up, you get someone unyieldingly bright, giving, caring. The type to drive across town to say good morning, to pay for your cab out of goodwill. He occasionally comes off as abrasive, but anyone who’s anyone in this town knows he just might be the friendliest person around. His biological mother is to thank for this, southern hospitality and all.

However, when tails inevitably lands, all hell breaks loose. A flame, if you would - pretty too look at, painful to touch, and leaves nothing but destruction in his path. When you get too close, he’s bound to explode. Push you away, excommunicate you. Crawling back to a bar for some sweet relief - then comes the destruction. When intoxicated, no matter the substance, hes volatile, impulsive at best. Car crashing, drugs, fights - nothing seems to stop him when he’s under like that. Count on his law degree and family name to keep sweeping it away; you couldn’t find anything if you tried.