[CHAR] Can You Hear the Distance Calling? (Accepting)

[DisguisedDemon]

Can You Hear the Distance Calling?

Penelope Matthews

Penelope Sophia Matthews

| Nickname(s) |
Penny, Sophie, Soph

| Age |
22

| Gender |
Female



| Likes |
√Exploring
√Animals
√Attention
√Acting

| Dislikes |
×Navigating
×Boats
×Swimming

| Personality |
Penelope was the "popular" girl in high school meaning that she tended to be harsh to a lot of other girls. She felt that to keep herself on top, she needed to make sure everyone else knew that they couldn't beat her. She didn't realize the mistake until she got in to college and she couldn't make herself friends, because at that point looks didn't mean everything. There were plenty of pretty girls with great personalities. It took almost all four years of college for her to be nice to almost everyone she met.

She still holds some of those traits though. She doesn't take well to people trying to act better than her or talk down to her. She's terrible about holding grudges and she can get very possessive over her friends and family.

| Place Of Origin |
She happened to be born on the east coast of the United States.

| History |
Penny still struggles with making amends for the things she had done as a teenager, she doesn't want to feel like that person anymore. Which is why when she learned about the program she signed up instantly, but she didn't want to go alone. Her and Leo haven't been friends since they got in to high school, Penelope wasn't nice to her brother and while she didn't pick on him specifically they didn't get along. During this trip she's really hoping to change that and get them back on to talking terms.

| Extra |
In high school she went by Penelope or Penny, but after she started to change who she was a bit she prefers to go by Sophia or any form of her middle name.

Leo Matthews

Leo Alexander Matthews

| Nickname(s) |
Alex- rarely used
Lele- pronounced Lee-Lee, also rarely used by family

| Age |
22

| Gender |
Male



| Likes |
√Lacrosse
√Animals
√Learning new languages or history

| Dislikes |
×Small spaces
×Know it alls
×Cards
×Sharp plants

| Personality |
Leo's always been very normal, even when his sister rose to popularity and made their name seem bad, the teachers loved him. He played lacrosse for his school, but otherwise was the smart kid who was somewhat shy. If there's a party he'll still go with his friends, he's just never felt the need to try and get himself as well known as his sister seems to think is necessary.

As far as the "popular" group went, he wasn't part of it, but he's always had a group of friends he gets along with. He's always hung out with a lot of teammates and let's himself hang back in the group. Helping people isn't something new to Leo, he's always wanted to be able to do that. He's still considering finishing he's schooling and becoming a full doctor, rather than the RN he is currently.

| Place Of Origin |
East coast of the United States

| History |
Leo wasn't planning to do anything like this, he's just finished college and he was planning to get an internship or maybe get an actual job somewhere. However, Penelope begged him to come with her and he's always been a sucker for his sister, even when she was rude in high school. Penny was actually born a few minutes before him, but most of the time Leo feels like the protective older brother.

There parents would have rather they both used the degrees they just got rather than run off to travel the world, but they still know it's a great opportunity. Things like this don't just come along whenever. They've accepted it and just hope they both get jobs when they come back to the states.

| Extra |
Has a good knowledge of medicine and usually can find his way around places.

[Aletheias]

Calliope Leroux

Calliope Leroux

| Nickname(s) |

“Ha… no no, just Calliope."
(She prefers no nicknames but feel free to call her whatever you want)

| Age |

21

| Gender |

Female

| Likes |

[+] Languages
[+] Sleep
[+] Drawing
[+] Cacti
[+] Snacks
[+] Horror Movies
[+] Turtles

| Dislikes |

[-] Swimming
[-] Wet Socks
[-] Phone Calls
[-] Peanut Butter
[-] Jelly
[-] Insubordinate Children
[-] Cake

| Personality |

Calliope grew up in diverse schools where many people were very accepting. However, she was a very shy child and is still a little awkward when meeting strangers. Living with a fairly large family, you’d think she’d be used to human interaction. But, she often spent her time in her room, seldom texting her friends from school or socializing. It wasn’t that she hated everyone; she was just lazy and preferred to nap, only waking up to eat or shower.
Having more of a laid-back, go with the flow personality, she usually dives into things without a plan and ends up winging everything. Thus, she is relieved when she is with someone who knows what they’re doing otherwise nothing would be done. Despite this, she usually tries to stay away from controlling people who have no authority.

| Place Of Origin |

Canadian border
(Her mother gave birth on their way back from visiting family in Canada...)

| History |

Legally a U.S. citizen, Calliope was born on the Canadian border. Her parents were initially from Ontario, Canada before they decided to move to Connecticut (out of all states!) when her sister was two; being a quarter French-- hence Leroux-- her family often goes to Canada to see relatives from her father’s side.
The only country she’s ever known other than America was Canada and this gave her the determination to travel all over the world. Her father was also a Latin high school teacher and her mother worked as an interpreter at Yale New Haven Hospital. This led to her interest in languages and to join the program to learn about other cultures while helping them, killing two birds with one stone!
She commutes during college since it’s only ten minutes away from her house so she’s never been too far from home before on her own. She is also the second eldest out of five children (three girls and twin boys) so the trip would be a nice change from her usually rowdy home.

| Extra |

Calliope loves a clever pun and collects pens. She also has no sense of direction and has a fear of monkeys.

[Fubsy]

Jasper Chung

Jasper Chung

| Nickname(s) |
JC

| Age |
23

| Gender |
Male

| Likes |

[+]Flirting
[+]Traveling
[+]Meeting new people
[+]Music

| Dislikes |

[-]Work
[-]Being alone
[-]Rejection
[-]Physical fights

| Personality |
JC is an adventurous young man with a nasty habit of getting into all sorts of trouble--even if he's not looking for it. He's impulsive, jumping into all sorts of situations headfirst without thinking, and prefers to come up with plans on the go. Sociable and charming, you'll usually find him flirting with (and being rejected by) everyone he meets.
At times, he may appear overconfident and even cocky. Inside, however, he thinks lowly of himself and his mistakes, holding a minor fear that at one point the people around him will just leave him behind.

| Place Of Origin |
Toronto, Canada

| History |
Born and raised in Toronto, JC's childhood was fairly lonely. Though his parents did their best to take care of him, they were constantly leaving their son at home due to multiple business trips and travels. During these trips, however, they would often send souvenirs and emails detailing the places they've been. JC grew enamored with these new places, sparking an interest in travel and adventure.

The program was the perfect opportunity. Sure, there was work involved, but that didn't matter to him so long as he could travel. With a last minute agreement from his parents, JC signed up for the trip of a lifetime.

| Extra |
-Is currently trying to learn different languages. Mostly pick up lines.
-Can play the guitar and drums.

[MushyKetchup]

Mandie Swensen

"He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good."
-Confucius

---

| Full Name |
Amanda Julie Swensen

| Nickname |
Mandie is short for Amanda, a name she positively despises, as to her, it suggests someone stuck-up or prissy. Mandie suggest more modesty.

| Age |
21

| Gender |
Female

| Likes |
* Indoors
* Dogs
* Orchestral and film-inspired music
* Interviewing people (she enjoys seeing other perspectives)
* Friendly debates
* Historical films
* Classy men
* Home decorating
* Orange

| Dislikes |
* Her parents
* Outdoors
* Anything with more than four legs
* Being bragged on
* Promiscuous people
* Dancing
* Goth people
* Lazy people
* Being photographed
* Alcohol

| Personality |
Mandie is, first and foremost, not an athlete.
She will talk to them because she has to. She was born to two by fate. She will give athletes a chance when talking to them. But Mandie herself is completely and entirely not an athlete.
Instead, Mandie is a journalist for a small-town paper in New Mexico. She’s introverted and modest, finding it challenging to speak to large groups at times, especially during parties. One of her greatest social challenges is a sudden change of plans, even if it’s something small like getting a spoon instead of a fork or going to a different restaurant than planned, because she’s not very adaptable. She doesn’t grow angry often, but when she becomes angry, it takes her a while to return to normal, and she doesn’t hide it well. She tends to hug the walls at large social events, and even at mealtimes, she’ll stay away from the others.
Many people start out distant with others and then open up as time goes on. Mandie goes the other way. She is very friendly and open in the beginning, but as time goes by and her opinions of others evolve, she will cut off ties, suddenly stop talking, or grow very attached to a person. Opening up for her is a way of icebreaking, because it shows the innermost personality of another person, not just the superficial things like ‘favorite color’ or ‘career path.’
She is currently in a very rough long-distance relationship with a 22-year-old European. Although they connect on the superficial level, she feels that he cannot connect with her beyond that, and the distance makes things even tougher. Therefore, although she is in a relationship, she could find herself growing romantically interested in another person.
And I know this is appearance, not personality, but she tends to overdress just slightly. She frequently wears patterned skirts and blouses or sweaters. She can always be found with her journal, either writing or sketching.

| Place Of Origin |
Born in Cleveland, Ohio; now in New Mexico

| History |
Mandie’s childhood, in short, is filled with plenty of disagreements about what she ought to be.
Her fights with her parents began by the age of seven. Her mother had placed her in soccer and basketball teams without her consent, resulting in a bitter, cutthroat argument that lasted an hour and ended in a relationship that remains tainted. Her father, busy with being a successful football coach, was fairly absent, but agreed with Mandie’s mother that she ought to be athletic and continue the family’s traditions. When asked about her parents or compared to them, she tends to become irritable, since she has little respect for them.
On her 18th birthday, her bags were packed and car full of gas. When her parents left the house for work, she made the very long drive to a small town in New Mexico, where she resides today. She went to a community college, and because she was cut off from her parents’ financial support, she is drowning in student loans and living in a small apartment. Still, she has no desire to return to the life she had with her family. Instead, she prefers to carve her own path in life so her achievements are reached independently.
So why the trip? In simple terms, Mandie wants a restart. Since moving to New Mexico, she has yet to truly settle in and become comfortable, make friends, find her true place in the world. She feels in flux. Therefore, her goal on the trip is to meet some people and learn more about herself and the world. Her family probably isn’t okay with her leaving, but that hasn’t stopped her before!

| Extra |
Her favorite food is tomato soup.

Mandie’s opinions

| Penelope Matthews |
“Something seems a bit 'off' about her. She seems outwardly nice, but it seems like she’s got that ‘rich entitled girl’ attitude to her behind it all, and I feel like I'm being lied to. I’ll keep my distance, at any rate.”

| Leo Matthews |
“Penelope has the charisma and the personality, but he’s the brains of the pair. He lacks that 'popular' vibe I get from Penelope, and he seems a bit more responsible. Personally, I prefer him to her.”

| Calliope Leroux |
“First note - what a fantastic name! As for her personality, her introvertedness is a blessing; it seems like everyone else here is very, very extroverted, and it's nice to have someone to talk to. Her free-form, laidback qualities are a bit annoying, though. I’m not sure she’s quite the person to be going on this trip, given that she’s been quite contained in her little bubble for a while and hasn’t traveled much, but she’s a pleasant person.”

| Jasper Chung |
“Impulsive, cocky, practically insane. It doesn’t seem like he ever has a plan; he just goes for it. It’s certainly exciting for him, but it completely upturns the plans and flow of things. He’s very passionate for travel, though, so I suppose it’s good that he’s come along with all of us.”

| Alycia Carmody |
"I simply don't know how to read her. She seems nice enough, and like many of the others on this trip, she has the 'free spirit' thing going for her, but I haven't gotten to know her too well. I guess I'll just keep talking to her until I figure her out."

| Allia Lemon |
"My first impression of her is, 'Hey, look at me, I'm tough and independent!' Something tells me she'll be a partier on this trip, and I know I'm probably the minority, but I'm not a very big fan of parties, alcoholic or otherwise. I simply don't respect her; at least, not yet."

| Alex Bryant |
"Eh... I'm a little iffy as far as Alex is concerned. He seems to have the ability to be serious somewhere within him, but he also has the ability to be rather rude. Then again, so do I, so I suppose I can't judge too harshly. We'll see how he turns out as time goes by."

| Nathaniel Sheffield |
"I can't tell everything about him, but I met him in a bar my friends dragged me to. Tried to pick me up. He was charming, but he's not very good at hearing the word 'no,' either. The mustache makes him look like a pedophile, too. I'll keep my distance for now; maybe he was just drunk, maybe he was acting differently because he had performed minutes before, but he's not a person I trust."

[Benzaiten]

Alycia Carmody

Alycia Jasmine Carmody

| Nicknames |
"Hey, Leashy!" :: "My Leashy-Loo." :: "Lycia!"



| Age |
22

| Gender |
Female



| Likes |
[+] being silly
[+] swimming
[+] flowers
[+] space
[+] traveling
[+] discovering new things



| Dislikes |
[-] too serious people
[-] being bossed around
[-] being left out
[-] boredom
[-] repeating herself
[-] arrogance



| Personality |
Alycia is a complete dork. She likes to fool around and have fun in the silliest ways. From riding shopping carts through the store to dancing on the beach to making crazy faces on pictures. She really likes to help people wherever she can and therefor is a really nice person. Alycia believes that if you treat people right, they will return the favor. The Australian woman is more likely to follow than lead, but she will speak up for her thoughts and desires and will not bent to fit into a category or into a liking.

Despite her being very silly and sometimes childish-like, she is a fairly smart and grown-up person. If Alycia considers you her friend, you have a rock, a shoulder to cry on, a foot to kick your ass, a supporting hand, a judge-free, taking secrets into the grave kind of person in her.



| Place Of Origin |
Sydney, Australia

Although the city is big, she never had the feeling of it being a big-city-vibe there. She loves the people, she feels home there. She moved to LA 4 years ago though.

| History |
Given that Alycia had always wanted to see different places and learn different things, it wasn't a surprise when she announced she wanted to participate in this project. Her parents had always supported her in her decisions and never held her back. The decision for this project was easily made, Alycia often jumped into the blue and then tried to somehow handle the situation, and when she read the travel part of the project online, she had already sent an application for it. No doubt this would be a useful experience and incredible adventure!

| Extra |
:: She learnt how to play the drums ::
:: She's good in interacting with children ::

[sakurasan]

Allia Lilac Lemon

| Nicknames |
Lemon, Lilac, Al, Lia

| Age |
23

| Gender |
Female

---

"You. I think I like you."

---

| Likes |
[+]Sweets
[+]Reading
[+]Kids
[+]Sleeping
[+]Really good sweets
[+]Kids
[+]Revenge
[+]Fun pranks
[+]Puns
[+]BEERS and alcohol in general
[+]Jokes

| Dislikes |
[-]Her parents
[-]Bananas
[-]Hearing someone brag
[-]Stuck up people
[-]Selfish, privileged snobs
[-]Owing people
[-]Pity
[-]High school bullies
[-]Carrots

---

---

| Personality |
Allia was never a nice girl. She was never in that category even if she smiled at strangers or held the door open for others. Allia is a teasing chick that is a fan of having a good laugh. However, she doesn't do sweet talk and she will not tell white lies just to make you feel better. Allia doesn't make the best first impression on people due to the fact that she won't smile when meeting them. She'll look them up and down and make her own assumption that she wouldn't count on but she'd have it there. Allie doesn’t like to judge people but she does have a wild imagination. Not judging people was more about how she didn’t believe they were worth it rather than being nice. Because of this, people tend to think that she’s snobby.

She’s always gotten into fights easily. Especially with girls since they often have an issue with her “flirting” with their boyfriends even though they come onto her. However, Allia can handle herself in a physical fight. She hates it when people take pity on her or act like they care when they barely even know her. Liars are people that she cannot tolerate.

All in all, you can see that Allia has always been that girl to do what she wants. Before, people thought she was some sort of bad girl because of her attitude though she got straight A’s and went to medical school. Allia does love children though. You can see an obvious change in attitude when children are involved. She’d never want her own but she sure does like to take care of other kids. A sweet girl but not one to show it really ever to people around her that are her age. She’d rather not get attached to people and instead she wants to just be entertained.

---

---

| Place Of Origin |
London, England

| History |
In high school, Allia didn’t have much friends. She was that girl that looked a bit sweet but at the same time had an edge. A lot of rumors had spread about her when she beat up a chick that was bullying a freshmen. It was to the point that the kid had attempted suicide. That guy was her only friend for a long time. Of course, she got suspended for a while but that was about it. Allia loved the few friends she had an was very protective of them. Eventually, they grew up. The one that had gotten bullied went off to law school and a few of her other friends are out doing god knows what. She didn’t have a choice. Her parents had a goal set out for her since she was young. Submit to gender roles and be pretty and get a husband to take care of or go to medical school and get a good degree. They didn’t really have high expectations for her. All they did was work but that work got her living in a mansion so of course she just seemed like a privileged brat to people around her.

After going to medical school she realized that she loved it but she was bored. She wanted to try out something new. She who had gotten all of the latest fashion trends, went to galas, and got out of whatever trouble she got herself in felt like it was time to maybe help some people. So, she signed up and her parents were pissed. They didn’t understand why she had to join that went they donated to some charity every month. In their eyes, they were giving people and she was meant to just make some money not go out and help people when they had nothing to do with her. Of course, she just flipped them off and left. So that’s how she ended up here.

| Extra |
-Violinist
-Allia can't help but roll her eyes when her head hurts. And often she does this at a bad time.

---

---

[Wade Wilson]

Alexander Wilson Bryant

---

^{Alex stands at a regular 5’11”, with an athletic frame, with a somewhat lithe look to it. This is complemented by his broad shoulders, defined abs, and a strong, smooth jawline - the living definition of “chick magnet”, which is actually contrasted by the way he dresses. This is because he wears more comfortable attire, such as loose-fitting jeans, and a baggy, grey shirt. To Alex, this is comfortable in more ways than one - it draws people away from all the attractive parts of him, and makes sure that whoever does want to approach him does so because they want to get to know him as a person, and not just because he’s got a six-pack, or his tight muscles.}

---

►Name◄

Alexander Wilson Bryant

►Nickname(s)◄

Alex – who doesn’t like having to talk less?

►Age◄

22

►Gender◄

Male (he’s got balls, so…)

---

_{♒– “But those are the days that bind us together, forever,” –♒}

---

---

^{♒– “And those little things define us, forever, forever…” {Bad Blood – Bastille} –♒}

---

►Likes◄

✔ Going on trips
✔ His friends
✔ Videogames
✔ Competition
✔ Tolerable people
✔ Having fun
✔ Trying new things
✔ Pushing himself to the max
✔ Adrenaline rushes
✔ “I told you so” moments

►Dislikes◄

✘ Non-tolerable people
✘ People fucking with his friends & him
✘ Sour losers
✘ Bragging snobs
✘ Hypocrites
✘ Those stereotypical girls that fit under the Mean Girls archetype of “Plastic”
✘ The fact he knows what the “Plastic” archetype is (it’s a long story involving an ex-girlfriend and nothing better to do than sit and watch a Mean Girls marathon)

►Personality◄

Absent-minded, quiet, and distant. That’s what other people see him as - the epitome of the term “lone wolf”. However, for those that he sees as actually decent, or worth it, he is much more than that. In actuality, Alex is the most loyal, trustworthy, and friendly person you’ll meet. He’s like a father figure to people, and an incredibly loyal friend. Alex is also quite laid-back and relaxed, but that in no way means he’s an underachiever. When he puts his mind to it, he can slip into game-mode and bag a win in anything. He encourages people to do the same, however he understands that sometimes we all have our lazy days.

However, despite his loyal side, Alex can also be a bit of an ass. He can always be seen pulling pranks on the friends he makes, be it to piss them off, or put a smile on their faces. He’s rarely ever been caught for it, of course, but people who’ve known him for a while know to watch out for it, especially if you piss him off.

Speaking of pissing Alex off, there is one final side to him. If you insult him, one of his close friends, or one of his family, even, both you and the local radius. Not exactly setting a good example as a supposed “father figure”, but friends and family definitely know he’ll look out for them no matter what, even if he can lose his temper sometimes. This archetype, despite being his least prominent, is a surprise to some people, given his usual laid-back, calm nature, and his facade of absent-mindedness.

---

_{♒– “He said, ‘one day, you’ll leave this world behind,” –♒}

---

---

^{♒– “so live a life you will remember.’.” {The Nights – Avicii} –♒}

---

►Place Of Origin◄

Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York

►History◄

Alex’s life hasn’t exactly been a fairytale, though, luckily, it hasn’t been too much of a tragedy, either. He was born and raised in Canandaigua alongside his older brother, David, until the age of 6, when his family moved to Sacramento. Life was pretty average for him there, with him going to a new school and making good friends, with some of them transferring into the same high school as him. For a while, life seemed alright.

That was, until, one night when he was thirteen.

His brother and him had just come home from school, with his brother having had the more eventful day in class than Alex. Instead of opening up and talking to their parents about it, David decided to vent to his brother, instead. This spawned into a heated argument, with David calling Alex “a waste of space”, “useless” and “a mistake”. These soul-crushing insults continued into the next week, until Alex became sick of it. Friday night, when the two got home from school, David shouting at his brother like usual, Alex turned around to him and threw everything he had at him. Screaming about how he was ashamed to be related to him, and that David “didn’t deserve to live”. His older brother proceeded to punch him in the face, and then stormed up to his room, never coming out for the rest of the night.

The following morning, David was gone. His room was empty, save for the biggest items, and his coat and shoes were missing from the hallway. They sent out a report to the police, but, apart from a few jackasses that enjoyed the suffering of a grieving family, David has never been heard of since. Alex felt guilty, and his mind constantly tore him apart, making him think it was his entire fault. However, he hid it from those around him, and it (unfortunately) was never picked up on.

A few months later, when Alex was fourteen, his parents heard about a camp nearby. Alex was getting therapy for the disappearance of his brother, but apart from that, he wasn’t really socialising with anyone. He’d shut out everyone at school, and barely concentrated on his work. Surely it could do him some good to meet some fresh people? So, they sent him to a place named Camp Liberty that summer, and it was a success. When he came home, he seemed like he’d regained a little bit of his old self, and it made a lot of difference, even if it was only a small piece. He wanted to talk to people, told his parents all about his time there, and was begging to go again. He went for 4 whole years, and it helped him to regain himself, bit by bit. On his final year, he was determined to pull his finger out, and put the other teams in their place, and it actually happened.

Now, he’s a young adult at 22, being dragged into a trip by the divine temptation of wanderlust. His family are fine with it, and they think it might help him even more, despite that kind of happening when he was eighteen. He’s excited to meet new people, and, who knows, maybe he’ll bump into some old friends. He doubts it, though.

---

_{♒– “But I’m not good with directions, and I hide behind my mouth,” –♒}

---

---

^{♒– “I’m a pro at imperfections, and best friends with my doubt.” {The Judge – Twenty One Pilots} –♒}

---

►Extra◄

He’s a great-ass singer.
*(HOVER OVER SONG NAMES FOR THE LINK)*

[CanisMajoris2]

Nathaniel Sheffield

Nathaniel Sheffield

| Nathan, Nate, Sheff' |

| 24 |

| Male |

| Likes |
[+]Music, especially acoustic guitar
[+]The woods, nature, and fish
[+]Writing (though he's not very good at it)
[+]Silence
[+]The sound of the wind
[+]A small stray dog he found and takes with him everywhere
[+]His sister's cooking
[+]Running (something he has a strange talent for)

| Dislikes |
[-]Superficiality
[-]Noises repeated over and over again
[-]Reading (gets too agitated)
[-]Birds
[-]Corn
[-]The sun when it's just rising
[-]People attempting to help him
[-]Soccer

| Personality |
To say that Nate is antisocial would be to vastly oversimplify a frankly complex issue of the mind. Nate is bitterly sarcastic, to a point that it starts becoming hard to tell whether or not he's kidding. His fatalist look on life has left him hollow and cynical, rejecting all sorts of interpersonal relationships, regardless of whether one had or could have existed.

Spending the majority of his time alone, it would be somewhat surprising for some to find that he can actually be quite sociable if he's in the right mood. To those that only experienced these brief periods of sociality, he appears genial, gregarious, and more or less normal to anyone, if a bit reliant on deadpan sarcasm for his humor. In order to not feel hollow and bitter, however, he sheds this extroverted shell every so often to slink away, alone, and find that everything with him is as bad as it is.

As it is, Nate is primarily regarded as somewhat of an outcast, a failure in the genetic pool of extroverts. The sad fact is that Nate genuinely feels the pull to interact with others, but when he does, he often gets muddled in cynicism, lashing out at anyone who tries to get close to him. Anyone who knows him regards him with suspicion, and anyone who doesn't regards him with the same morbid curiosity one might have over a dying animal. In his disregard of love, he has stopped believing it exists, and it would take something truly miraculous to change that.

| Place Of Origin |
Newark, New Jersey

| History |
Nate's history is one wrought with self-inflicted pain and heartbreak. To start, he is recovering from a crippling drug addiction started in his waning high school years that both tore him and his family apart. It was near the end of his sophomore year that he first tried marijuana--which was nothing special, he had thought; everyone smokes marijuana at least once in their life. As he casually dabbled in the drug through his junior year, a friend of his introduced him to the wildly erratic effects of prescription pills. Nate tried this for a short time before ditching them, finding the results more trying on his stomach than his mind.

The summer before senior year was when he tried heroin first, and it was at that moment that he truly became an addict. It was at a summer beach house in Chincoteague, Virginia, where the sun was high and warm, the ocean soft and green, and the women were aplenty and willing. This beach house was used extensively by his friends as a drug hideout and mini-harem, and the things that went on behind its wind-washed doors could frighten even the most stalwart of hearts.

Regardless, Nate was hooked, and through senior year he experimented with wildly varying drugs of different qualities. The terrifying effects of PCP forced him to legitimately question whether his addiction was a sustainable habit, but it wasn't until he nearly ruptured a blood vessel from heroin use that his family finally got involved. Aware that something was wrong from the start--missing valuables, $1,634 missing from the bank--his parents instinctively placed him in a rehabilitation hospital, a move he so detested that one night--after a day spent drinking his parents' liquor--he stormed up to his mother and threatened to kill her if she sent him there.

That was the final straw, and his father promptly called the nearest psychiatric hospital, where he was taken away in a strait jacket and kept in solitary confinement for several weeks. Coming out humbled, emasculated, and thoroughly doubting the goodwill of mankind, Nate looked to an outlet. He found one in music. Combined with his natural proclivity for rhythm, he became quite good at the guitar, eventually signing up for night gigs in bars and nightclubs. The little money he made on the side was enough for his parents to begin to forgive him, but they figured he needed something else, something special. So, on his 24th birthday, they gave him a trip with several other people his age from across the world.

"To meet people who you can trust," his mother had said.

"To see the world and experience something magical," his father had said.

The naturally skeptical Nate had replied, "You should look at the tree outside our window."

But he complied, if only to assuage his parents' worry, and with low expectations for the future, he prepares for the next few weeks to be some of the dullest of his life.

| Extra |
Nate actually has had several girlfriends, but none of them stayed with him. (Most were too overwhelmed with his issues to do so, and one left him because she thought his friend was better.)

One of the few people Nate loves and respects is his younger sister Phoebe, who was one of the reasons he tried to quit drugs in the first place.

[DisguisedDemon]

IGNORE