[hider=James Albright] [hr][hr] [color=f7976a][h1][center]James Albright[/center][/h1][/color] [hr][hr] [center] [img]https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1440949617i/16045075.jpg[/img] [sub][color=f7976a]"I wouldn't lie to you... I get paid to lie for a living."[/color][/sub] [/center] [hr] [color=f7976a][b]Name[/b][/color] James "Jimmy" Albright [color=f7976a][b]Age[/b][/color] 28 [color=f7976a][b]Gender[/b][/color] Male [color=f7976a][b]Current Residence[/b][/color] Chicago, IL [color=f7976a][b]Occupation[/b][/color] Lawyer [color=f7976a][b]Sexuality[/b][/color] Heterosexual [hr] [color=f7976a][b]Appearance[/b][/color] James hasn’t changed much from how he looked back in high school. His chocolate brown hair is always well maintained and held together with a ludicrous amount of hair gel. His eyes are a simple brown that burn hazel in the sunlight. A healthy amount of stubble lines his face now unlike high school, but his general physique has remained the same. A strong jaw line and wide shoulders help set the frame of the 6’ man. [color=f7976a][b]Personality[/b][/color] To most people who know him, James’ general demeanor can be described in 1 word: asshole. There has always been more to the Golden Child of Higgins than meets the eye. He has perfected the art of embodying different personalities depending on the situation. To the general public, James comes off as down to Earth and incredibly kind. Once you’re considered an acquaintance, however, his abrasive personality kicks in. James is incredibly competitive and naturally has a “mightier than thou” approach to his life. He never won awards because he loved what he did: James won awards so that he could prove to all his friends that he was amazing as he claimed to be. That isn’t all James is, however. His competitive nature was a product of his upbringing in which his parents demanded perfection. So while he seeks that, James desires the basic necessities of love and friendship. He’s fiercely loyal to his closest friends, even willing to ruin his “popular” reputation to stand behind Sarah and his other friends. Yet despite his loyalty, James paradoxically suffers with a fear of commitment and being tied down anywhere in particular. [color=f7976a][b]Interest[/b][/color] -Television/Films -Alternative Rock Music (Listening) -Running [color=f7976a][b]Skills[/b][/color] - Juris Doctor from Columbia - Film Editing [color=f7976a][b]Hopes and Dreams[/b][/color] Become someone he can be proud of, and be stable enough one day to start a family. Get over his Fear of Commitment. [color=f7976a][b]Fears[/b][/color] -Heights -Commitment [hr] [color=f7976a][b]History[/b][/color] James was raised to be the perfect man by the town’s local Defense Attorney and one of the local physicians. The Albright parents, John and Jessica Albright, were the perfect love story in the small town of Higgins. Two working professionals who were high-school sweethearts despite all odds ended up marrying in their late twenties and moved back to their hometown. The couple had two children a few years apart, forming the perfect nuclear family. All was not well at home, however. The two professionals grew hateful of each other shortly after the birth of their second child. Both parents wanted the other to stay home and watch the kids, but neither were willing to do it themselves. Eventually, John backed down to some extent and took less hours at the firm, instead acting as a consultant. John mostly just took the afternoons and evenings off to help the two children with homework once they were in school. The patriarch passed down and instilled a competitive drive within James from an early age, forcing him to compete in sports at a young age (despite having poor coordination and an aversion to pain). Nonetheless, James excelled at Football in Pop Warner for a few of his formative elementary school years. It wasn’t until James reached middle school that he was able to convince his father that he was more interested in academics and becoming a lawyer like his father. This touched John’s ego enough that the boy was allowed to play on the basketball team AND compete in various other extracurriculars, such as the Science Fair. By the time James entered high school, he dropped out of sports altogether. James was always identified as one of the “popular kids” despite his activities once he reached high school. He was Captain of the Mock Trial Team, Student Council Parliamentarian, President of the Latin Club, AP student… he did everything a typical nerd would. And yet, somehow, James had a knack for balancing his responsibilities and a healthy social life. His secret was sleeping only a few hours a night and doing homework quickly in the middle of his other classes. James never spared a single moment when he wasn’t spending time wth friends. For the first year of high school, James was a bully. He hung out with the popular kids and did everything he could to stay within the clique. He specifically focused on the “Preps,” the other kids of rich families. It was taxing on the teenager, however, given he rarely had anything in common with them. It wasn’t until his sophomore year that his life changed when a rebel turned his life upside down. James had the misfortune of being paired with a girl who was defiant to the very end. It hurt James’ grades in Chemistry lab, but for some reason he didn’t mind. He would get earfuls from his father, who called the school countless times to try and force their hands and get James a “suitable” lab partner. But James enjoyed the genuine nature of Sarah. She even convinced him to take a few film classes despite his parent’s wishes (he ended up having to overload his classes and skip lunch for two semesters to pull it off). With Sarah came other characters who somehow stuck around James, ones that made him feel like he belonged for who he was endnote because he was “cool.” And James had their backs, until graduation came. Sarah was gone by then, having flaked to go to “New York.” James, at the time, was convinced he wanted to go to school for film. He ended up double majoring (Film and Political Science, with a minor in Law and Society). Throughout his time at NYU, he couldn’t help but search for Sarah. He never found her, and ended up moving on to go to Law School at Columbia (deciding money was more important than being an “artist”). Upon graduation with his J.D., James moved to Chicago to work in legal at a Fortune 500. He had stopped keeping in touch with his friends back home as soon as he got to New York, so it would have been hard for them to learn of his move to Chicago. It was his sister, Jess, who told him of Sarah’s death and funeral. Practically overnight, James packed up the belongings he needed into his Audi and drove back to his hometown, crashing at his sister’s house (their childhood home, which she managed to buy when their parents divorced when she dropped[ out of college. [hr] [/hider] [hider=Relationships: WIP] [center][h3][color=6ecff6]Phillipe Vesper[/color][/h3] [color=f7976a][sub]"I have to respect a guy willing to wear the first thing he finds on the floor. Takes Balls."[/sub][/color] [hr] [indent]James knew of Ves early on in high school, but never bothered to get to know him even when they hung out with the same people. The two were rather close once they both began spending time with Sarah. Ultimately, Ves is one of the only close friends James was able to make in high school. He was a partner in crime for the few shenanigans James would ever dare pull, but he preferred their deep conversations late at night. Ves was one of the only people from Higgins James kept in touch with a few times a year.[/indent] [hr] [color=007236][h3]Tommy Armstead[/h3][/color] [sub][color=f7976a]"Still got the scar from when he busted my damn chin... why do you think I keep the stubble?"[/color][/sub] [hr] [indent]To call Tommy and James "friends" is a large overstatement. Their first proper introduction involved a punch to the face, and other interactions that followed nearly led to that. James admired Tommy's convictions and supported his relationship with Sarah, but mostly acted nicer to him for her sake rather than any love for the fighter. James fell out of touch with Tommy as soon as Tommy was kicked out of high school, and hasn't seen him since the day he watched the teen beat the shit out of a few guys who deserved it. James hasn't told a single soul that he went to the principle to try and convince him to suspend Tommy rather than expel him.[/indent] [hr] [color=8493ca][h3]Alexis Wright[/h3][/color] [sub][color=f7976a]"Yeah, I occasionally look up her articles just to see what she's up to... and I swear to God if you tell her that I'll end you."[/color][/sub] [hr] [indent]Another individual who ran in the same circles as him, Alexis was one of the few people James admired. They were friends, close at times and distant at others, but he always trusted her more than most with his secret and insecurities. James was never particularly romantic towards her, as their exceptionally brief fling was any indication, but he considers her to be the only woman he would have liked to pursue romantically. He was never really able to bring himself to seek out a relationship with her, and their friendship fizzled once he graduated. He reads some articles she writes from time to time, but has not contacted her at all since he left Higgins.[/indent] [hr] [h3]Char 1 name[/h3] [sub]"What they think about this character?"[/sub] [hr] [indent]brief summary of relationship. Highschool, and present day.[/indent] [hr] [h3]Char 1 name[/h3] [sub]"What they think about this character?"[/sub] [hr] [indent]brief summary of relationship. Highschool, and present day.[/indent] [hr] [/center] [/hider] [hider=Bonus Character/NPC: Jessica Albright] [hr][hr] [center][img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9b/75/6b/9b756b5e00184e5fb89be87c7a36ec2b.gif[/img] [sub]"I knew you'd end up back here someday. Just wish it was under better circumstances."[/sub] [/center] [hr] [b]Name|[/b] Jessica Albright [b]Age|[/b] 23 [b]Gender|[/b] Female [b]Current Residence|[/b] Higgins, MI [b]Occupation[/b] Bartender [b]Sexuality|[/b] Pansexual [hr] [b]Appearance|[/b] Rather unimposing compared to her brother, Jess is only 5'7" but is surprisingly fit and lean. Her skin is somewhat pasty, and her hazel eyes are surprisingly piercing. She has inked up since high school, and practically of her clothes are shades of black. At work she tends to wear tank tops with leather jackets or vests, only occasionally dressing up in a black blouse with dark jeans. She tends to keep her dyed crimson hair braided and draped over her shoulder. [b]Personality|[/b] Jessica is everything her brother isn't. She's easy to get along with, a joy to be around, and is always the first to help in an emergency. Jess just loves to be around people, and does everything she can to foster new friendships. At the same time, she is rebellious by nature and the easiest way to get her to do something is to tell her she can't. She lacks the competitive edge James had, and is far more relaxed and willing to laze around than the rest of her family. [b]Interest|[/b] - Music - Driving - Socializing [b]Skills|[/b] -Bartending -Decent Singer and Dancer [b]Hopes and Dreams|[/b] Jessica is actually fairly content with her life as it is, and is focused on living in the moment. [b]Fears|[/b] - Heights - Relapsing [hr] [b]History|[/b] Jessica's life has been rather ordinary compared to her brother's. Ever since she was young, she was practically considered a lost cause by her parents. She was rebellious and tomboyish when young, always trying to spend time with James and get involved in what he was up to. The two siblings were close until around James' entrance to High School. He was rarely home, and Jessica was too young to spend time with her brother. She began to get heavily involved in sports in Middle School. James left for college right before she became a Freshman in High School. She was a party girl in the social scene once James left, and quickly became wrapped up in an addiction to cocaine. She began a downward spiral that led her to steal money from her parents. It took James' brief return for a week during one of his summer break's (he had an internship in Los Angeles that he couldn't pass up) to talk her into getting clean. Jess took a leave of absence, went to a short rehab program, and then returned to get her diploma. She actually got into the local community college, but ended up dropping out after three semesters. She was always more fond of connecting with people and working than she was of studying things that wouldn't really help her in the real world. She ended up as a bartender in Higgins despite all of her family moving away. The Albrights even left their large house to their daughter, where she currently resides. [b]Anything Else?| [/b] Best known in town for being the female bartender at The Watering Hole, one of the local bars. She's been working there since she dropped out of college. [hr] [/hider]