Kimberly Tran

28

Equal Opportunity Employer

Unemployed

If ever there was a picture book example of what unemployment looked like, Kimmy would likely find her picture there and promptly wonder when she took it because chances are she looks hella tight. Rather than spend triple digits on clothes that she wears one time and then it goes out of season or whatever, Kimmy will raid a Goodwill or the cheap rack at a department store for things that are about two sizes too big for her already slender frame. Baggy pants, baggier shirts, and sneakers that are three steps away from being nothing more than rubber held together by string and a prayer - assuming she doesn't just forego sneakers and rock some flippies - never with socks, though. That's a faux pas even she's aware of.

Kimmy stands at a fairly above average height of five foot ten but she has a habit of slouching a bit when she walks so at times she can come off as shorter than she truly is. Because of her unique sense of style, which is to say 'lazy chic', she doesn't really show off her figure other than her ankles up to her calves on a good day. The way she sees it, if someone likes what they see when she's in the sunlight, they'll probably not care what she looks like in the darkness. The only thing that seems properly cared for in terms of her style and appearance is her hair, though it's likely because, as she puts it, "If I don't comb and brush and shit, my gran will pop out of the grave and tear me a new asshole. Probably with the handle of the brush, man." She doesn't even sound like she's joking.

Is it possible to be the life of the party at a party you weren't invited to? In Kimmy's case, the answer is a resounding 'not really' but that hasn't stopped her from going through life as if she's the second coming of Jeff Lebowski. She hasn't even seen that movie, but her former best friend told her that right before deleting Kimmy from social media which was a total bitch move to do. Being unemployed has its perks, namely that she can wake up after noon and not have to worry about going to bed after the evening news like some kind of old fogey but at the same time she does get weird looks from her best friend Marco who runs the convenience store where she stocks up every other day. She considers Marco her best friend because he's the only one who talks to her on a regular basis that isn't her mother calling up and asking if her life is in order yet (which is a mom way of asking if, like, she found a job or a man or both). Kimmy's preferred manner of 'stocking up' consists of buying Corn Nuts and Andy Capp's fries along with either a six or a twelve pack and, in the warmer months, a big-ass slushie.

It wouldn't be wrong to call Kimmy 'aimless' but she's never really felt like her life is in need of changing. She might not have a stable job or a meaningful relationship, but she has her own place and an old car that she's gonna fix up any year now and she knows how to use a washing machine so instead of wearing the same thing for a week, now she can wash it every four days or whatever. As far as adults go, she's above functional but a few rungs below successful by the typical metrics, but hey who's counting.

What makes Kimmy, well, Kimmy is her entire vibe of not giving a single fuck about whatever anyone thinks about her. She can laugh at herself and at the comments others throw at her like it's rain down the back. While not lazy, exactly, she doesn't really seem to have much in the way of motivation but it's not like she's stupid or dumb or anything. She's quite charismatic and moreover she has a type of intellect that has allowed her to live how she wants in a reasonably comfortable manner. What's her secret? Maybe it's Maybelline, dude.

Kimmy likes to tell people that she's an only child and also an orphan but sometimes she'll say that she's actually an alien from another universe from the planet Krypton and it's usually at that point people sigh and walk away. While she isn't secretly an alien nor did her parents got shot in a dark alley or anything, she isn't an only child nor is she an orphan, but her family might prefer it if she was. Her mother was a helicopter type of mom while her dad worked himself into a divorce. Well, he worked himself into shitty hotels with his secretary and neither he nor Kimmy's mom officially filed for divorce he currently enjoys the company of younger women he employs in what is not at all weird and gross. Kimmy's older brother is a big city corporate lawyer which Kimmy once made fun of by figuring that being a doctor was too cliche for him. The closest family member Kimmy had was her gran but for as much of a firecracker as she was, she couldn't escape the march of time.

Kimmy, like every person out there, had dreams once upon a time. She was gonna be an actress, she was gonna be a star; she was gonna shake her ass on the hood of White Snake's car. THose are, of course, lyrics to a song but it's a sentiment that Kimmy can identify with. Once upon a time she wanted to be an artist. Not like a gallery type but like a comic book artist or an animator or something but she submitted a portfolio to art school after graduating high school, got rejected, and figured the art world could suck a nut. She found herself forced to working crappy part time jobs because otherwise her mom was gonna, like, kick her out. Of course, she got kicked out anyway after getting fired from the fifth job for showing up late.

How, then, did Kimmy not only afford her own place but also the fees for the VIP treatment? "I'm like Han Solo, dude, how did he get the Millennium Falcon? Does it matter?" Little did she know, the method to her money wasn't at all dissimilar to the dismissive point she was making at the time. Put plainly, Kimmy's a gambler, a hell of a card player, and has amassed a comfortable amount of money doing so. She even made it to the WSOP one time and wore comically large sunglasses and a hat. No one but her thought it was funny.

Why is she on the cruise? They have tropical drinks with bendy straws in huge glasses and no one will say anything if she walks around barefoot. And there's probably some prime cuts of man meat, flank steak, and chicken breasts to be had. And because fuck it, what else does she have to do with her time?

FC: Awkwafina // It's this one, yo. 18D63B

• Is always, always, holding a drink with a bendy straw

Monty Clark Ryder

26, born on Valentines Day

Male

Pansexual

Game Developer and founder of Ryder Dice Studios

Don't let those darling baby blue eyes and strong jaw fool you, Monty in his 6'2" muscular glory is not the man of your dreams that you think he is. His abs and the ability to carry you across the threshold of your expectations are just there to hide how much of a nerd he is. He cleans up nice, and thanks to being attractive, people don't notice right away that he is one added cloak accessory from looking like he is ready to play out a DnD campaign in person. Which is something that he would do in a heartbeat if he wasn't busy making a game with the same premise, just digital. He has recently cut the mane of dirty blond curls, which vaguely resembled a mullet, to the short and styled hairstyle you see him wearing now since he couldn't spare the time to leave his office to get a hair cut.

The man either lives in both comfort wear and things you would see a cosplayer use. There is no in-between or mixing. He either is your vampire prince with puffy renaissance sleeves and his chest just visible enough to want to see more or that one attractive clerk at GameStop that somehow cons you into buying preorders but also shares leftover merch they have stashed in the back that people forgot about. Whether or not he is sporting a graphic tee and jeans or peasant shirt barely tied closed with form-fitting pants and boots, he is always wearing a Saint Christopher's necklace his mother gave him when he left home.

On the bright side, since his project is over now, he can finally put some time into his appearance to make himself not look like a hot homeless man that conned his way into owning a game developing studio. It was never his intention to let himself look wild and unkempt, and in fact, does try to dress somewhat stylishly but can only really mask his nerdy tastes with cool looking jewelry.

Monty is a devoted guy; to his work, to his family (which includes his friends), and to his interests, he puts all of himself into it because if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well the first time. Unfortunately, that does make him a workaholic or someone who easily can get hyper fixated on things to the point that they take over his life, BUT he isn't such a sad case that he doesn't take care of himself. He showers, works out, and eats regularly, so he will be physically healthy no matter what. Mentally though? Ticking time bomb of stress and anxiety internalized that his coworkers and family pitched in to send him on this once in a lifetime trip, paying extra so that he could have basic amenities to keep him occupied, but not enough that he could use the Wi-fi to google about the news on how his recently released game was doing. If that doesn't tell you how much they care about him, I don't know what will.

He has been there for all of them in both big and small ways since he is easily a compassionate guy that would give the shirt off his back to someone, no questions asked. So them getting him away from what will be his biggest stressor to hopefully socialize with someone his age that doesn't work for him should be a nice change. Maybe not at first, and he'll be inclined to try to get someone to spill the password to him somehow ease that intense fear of all his work going down the drain and him not being able to fix it, but once he is over the first twenty for hours he should be fine.

It wouldn't hurt for him to find someone to reel him back into the moment and enjoy himself. He hasn't had the best success with love or romance thanks to often being misread as being someone he isn't, those who can't accept his nerdy and goofy side probably won't last long around him. Since that is the majority of his personality. He loves to laugh and is smart enough to see a chance to make a pun, in fact, he loves puns. The worse they are, the better, and will probably be the king of dad jokes if he ever had kids. Just, don't expect him to be good at romance, he can write the script for it easily, but at the moment. He flounders, any smoothness you see or hear is unintentional and an accident.

Listen, when he was a boy, Monty was a nerd. There is no way to go around that or sugar coat it. He was a nerd, and he got bullied for his interests, life sucked all the way up until high school when he sprouted like a weed and packed on some muscle from being forced to do track since his parents were busy working and didn't want him at the house alone for long periods of time.

In high school the number of people who flocked to him to get a sip of the tall glass of water he was apparently offering, was insane. He got the title of player, not cause he going around sleeping with everyone, but because he couldn't hold down a relationship for very long whether it was because they got reminded of him being a nerd, he didn't have the time to give them (which those were the hardest for him since he was the one to break up then because they deserved better), or they just wanted him to be a notch in their belt. He inadvertently became the Olive Penderghast of his high school while working on the code that would later become his passion project. He was happy to graduate and move out for bigger and better things, and a track scholarship in tow to help him land a spot in an amazing school where he followed his interests in coding and game design.

It was during his time in college that he had found his team for what would later become his studio, all of them being bunched together in the same section of dorms that spent a long amount of time studying and playing around in. These very same people had also inspired him to keep working on his old work, and even managed to play through a tabletop version of what he had in mind as they grew to love DnD and his style of being a Dungeon Master.

The final project that he submitted to graduate was the first game he published under his company that sprung up after his teacher pulled him aside about it. Sure it was a pixelated farming game with some life simulation and an easy to digest plot that grew complex the more you focused on it. Back then he mostly worked form out of his shared home with his friends who had bought it with them. They were the first people to jump on board with him, and through their own input had started to fill out the small roster of games they had that made them slowly grow a cult following that morphed into a fanbase large enough that they could afford their own offices.

Each game they made was a test on how to do mechanics, honing their skills with these evolving styles of games that they prioritized quality for. And it was finally, after all these years of working on it in secret that his company finally took on his brainchild. It was going to be their first triple A-game, and it would have been an even lengthier endeavor if they hadn't all been chipping away at it in the background. Now fully devoted to it with a capable team and a budget to help it proceed, it took up all their time with Monty's being the hardest worker of them all to the point that he had put a lot of other stuff on the backburner to keep his progress steadily growing to meet the Christmas release deadline.

So now that it has been fast-tracked to be released within the next few days, he got a pocket of time to enjoy himself before the dread hit him. Getting himself back in order, when all of his family and friends pulled an intervention on him after getting his hair cut. They had his bags in hand and dropped the bomb that he was gonna spend his holidays on a cruise to celebrate. On them, they insisted, he had yet to figure out there was a catch to it all.

FC: Dacre Montgomery // 81DDFB

• He does smoke, but has been trying to quit.
• He loves anything with noodles, whatever kind. Ramen was his go to when he was in college.
• His studio has been asked to work with various big gaming companies for DLC content involving his games.
• Knows how to surf but hasn't in a long time.
• Kinda misses his mullet hair, but settled to keep his stubble.

Twenty-Six

Male

Homosexual

Street Musician by day | Bartender by night

For as little as Gage wants to be seen, he has a way of standing out. Ears adorned with a wide array of piercings, along with the three small tattoos that are clearly visible on his skin, it's truly a wonder that he prefers solitude over loud parties. A thin frame and small features make sticking to the wall and hiding away from the world one of the easiest things in the world. The fact that he only stands at about 5'7" helps a lot with that too.

Never one for appearances, Gage dresses in the most casual clothing he can find. Hand-me-downs from his older brothers kept him going for a long time, and even though he's been long on his own, they still arrive at his doorstep whenever the siblings upgrade their wardrobe. Sweaters, button up shirts, his style is that of everyone else. Always one for pants, Gage's (rather hairless) legs are now adorned with a brand new pair of shorts to accompany the cruise that he now finds himself on.

Not one for smiling much at all, the only time that you can truly catch the man at ease is when there’s an instrument in his hands, or the music is loud enough to drown all thoughts.

The best word used to describe Gage is reserved. Awkward is a close second, and it's truly no wonder why the man has no real friends other than his family. A tenacious fellow, though, Gage is more than willing to go out on a limb and try things that would, more often than not, make him uncomfortable. How else was he supposed to adapt and change? Throwing his all into making himself a better person, Gage is happy to say that he at least gives everything he does his all.

If anything, Gage is an excellent listener. Trying to express himself, on the other hand, is a lot harder for him to do. Reclusive in nature, he's trying his best to push past that, to be more like his brothers and sisters. Confident, likeable, approachable. These are factors he's trying to adapt to. Trying to grow as a person, he feels the best way to do that is to introduce himself to an unknown environment, to push himself to his limits.

At least with some alcoholic drinks in his system, maybe he could make something out of this endeavor.

Growing up in the Zimmermann family was anything but normal. The youngest of seven children, their house was always loud and chaotic, the cries of boys and girls hollering after each other filling the halls. A close-knit group, Gage had always had an issue breaking away from his siblings, to venture out on his own. When they weren't around, anxiety would spike in the poor boy, making the idea of having friends terrifying to the youth. So he avoided it.

It wasn't until he was in high school that he started to put pressure on himself to branch out and meet new people. His siblings were getting older, leaving the house one by one, and while they still came around to hang out once in a while, Gage was all but left behind. Loneliness setting in, he took it as a do or die situation. He needed to find someone, anyone, to become friends with. He didn't want to be lonely.

The person he ended up becoming acquainted with was probably the worst person Gage would meet in his life.

Kenneth Sawyer was the jock, the quarterback of the football team, and everything that everyone else wanted. Why he found his way to Gage, the man would never know, and at this point in time he didn't care to know. All he knew, was at the time, he fell madly in love with the man far sooner than he should have. Kenneth knew all of the right things to say, he knew exactly what to do to make Gage's heart soar. He was perfect.

So perfect, that the day after Gage graduated high school, the two ran off to be married. Five years later, he was running out of the door of the apartment they shared, with his things in a bag. Gage never did tell anyone what happened behind closed doors.

Moving in with his brother, Peter, Gage hermited himself away. With much coaxing from his siblings, he was slow to reintroduce himself back into society. First, a job. Bartending was easy enough when he didn't have to talk, and thankfully, the establishment he worked at has two bartenders every night. Gage's partner in crime soon became his crutch, picking up the conversation when it was presented to the man, in return for a handful of the tips they would make that night.

The nightlife began to captivate the young man, and in time he found himself going to clubs on his days off, if only to watch the people dance and drink. His love for music had never faded, and a new dream began to spark in the back of his head. His own club. His own music.

Before he could start making that dream a reality though, his brother decided to step in. He had to get out there again, Peter said. He had to find people who felt the same way he did, learn to connect with another human being again. Make friends, connections, find a lover! The ticket was already purchased before Gage had a chance to really comprehend what was going on.

Before he knew it, he was being dropped off with a loving goodbye, and Peter's car was already fading from view.

FC: Alex Storm // A9BA9D - Laurel

• Reference sheet for Gage’s piercings (and the tattoo behind his ear).
• I have a voice claim for Gage.
• Has 4 tattoos. The smiley face behind his ear, a house on his wrist, a band around his left ring finger with the word oops inside of it, and the word forward on his right foot.
• Brought his guitar, let's jam!

Sofía Williams, aka Sophie

25

Female

Heterosexual

Analyst at American Express

Sophie has an olive skin tone and stands at an unimpressive 5'1. She's curvy where it matters the most, and maintains an average weight of 115 lbs. She has brown eyes as well as medium-length brown hair, that which every now and then will be styled with golden highlights. Sophie has a few distinguishing marks. She has a small scar below her right knee from a bicycle accident she had when she was a young child. Also, when she was in her late teens, Sophie was caught in the middle of a fight between a couple of her friends and she was cut with a knife. Nothing serious, though the cut was deep enough to leave her bleeding profusely and when it healed, the wound turned into a scar. Aside from that, Sophie's one and only tattoo is of a cherry blossom branch wrapping around her right ankle.

Bubbly, cheerful, somewhat sarcastic. Sophie's personality is rather lively when she's around people she is comfortable with. She considers herself to be more of a social butterfly than a homebody, though she definitely has her long Netflix marathons on the couch with a glass or two of wine. Being an only child, Sophie was somewhat coddled when she was younger, but growing up with more or less the same small group of friends from all different backgrounds taught her a lot. She's seen both the good and bad that life has to offer, and as a result, she occasionally finds it particularly hard to trust others. Additionally, Sophie has somewhat of a short-temper. She loses her cool quicker than the average person and certainly doesn't lack any bit of sarcasm.

A few other peculiar interests for the young woman include biology and medicine. She always told everyone she'd be a doctor when she grew up, though as time passed she realized the amount of commitment it took to make it through med school and decided to pursue another career path instead. Sophie is without a doubt a smart person, but she'd be in trouble if she had to spend endless hours in front of a book. While she always got good grades, Sophie's mind could wonder every now and then, making it hard to focus at times. With that said, Sophie loves to watch educational documentaries and looks forward to learn something new whenever the opportunity arises.

Born to a Spanish mom (Ana) and a British dad (Frederick), Sophie was used to traveling from a young age. She lived in Barcelona up until she was 7, then her father moved the family back to his hometown of London due to work. The move was permanent, though Sophie was more than comfortable in her new home. She'd been there plenty of times before and already had friends in the neighborhood, those with whom she'd stay out with way past curfew and frequently got in trouble as a result.

One evening, Frederick--to this day a hot shot attorney, begged Ana to be a stay-at-home wife to grow the family, so to speak. The conversation that started out friendly ended abruptly after some back and forth shouting and name-calling. The happy couple suddenly weren't a couple anymore, and Sophie was torn. She was only 11 years old when she ran away from home for the first time, staying at friends' houses without their parents knowing and spending her days roaming around alone. It didn't take long for police to find her, and she was severely punished immediately upon her return home.

After the split, Sophie concentrated mostly in school. She somewhat distanced herself away from her friends but that didn't last long. She joined a few after school activities with them upon entering the new grade and she also got involved in sports. Track was her thing as well as tennis, and her competitive side more often than not led her to victory. Sophie was a natural athlete, but she didn't allow herself to stop having fun over a simple win. On the other hand, her coaches kept urging her to double up on practices so she could possibly make a career out of it, but she wasn't interested. She enjoyed playing sports, though that didn't mean that she would make it her profession.

When Sophie graduated, she abruptly told her parents she was moving to New York, her decision based primarily on her wanting to live abroad for a while. That and the fact that she had some family there as well. The rash announcement, much to her surprise, united her parents in a joint effort to convince her to stay in London. But Sophie she had the perfect set up. She had been accepted into Columbia for the mathematics program. Her plan for the moment was to get into the field as her grandfather had hinted at a few times and take over his company. Her uncle was stepping down and her grandfather wanted the business to stay in the family.

Her four years in a new country by herself were nothing short of amazing. She loved the nightlife as well as the fact that she was introduced to a number of different cultures without having to leave the city. As she was wrapping up school, Sophie was given an internship at American Express which eventually led to a full-time position. She's since gone back to school to pursue a graduate degree, though with so much currently going on in her life, she hasn't had time to date, and as of lately she's been feeling lonelier than usual.

FC: Natalie Martinez // C56AE6

• Doesn't eat any seafood.
• Speaks English and Spanish fluently and some Portuguese.
• Can sing the alphabet backwards on cue.

Lilianna Coraline Dorothea Reigan

27

Female

Bisexual, male leaning

CEO

Standing rather tall at 5'8 without heels, Lily is no slouch when it comes to appearances. She is meticulous groomed both in how she takes care of herself and what she wears. Her skin isn't marred by scars or imperfections, and is in between fair and tanned thanks to her time in the sun. Bright blue eyes with flecks of green in them, and surrounded by long lashes, she can give the sweetest doe eyes or the iciest glares with eyes. Her shaped brows rarely ever furrowed to show her stress or displeasure. Her lips never without a shade of one of her own company's lipsticks to show off as she leaves candied kissmarks on the next PR stunt, marking her territory to the next rise in her stocks. Her mid-back length hair a lighter shade of brown than she had as a child, and now styled most often in subtle waves in case there is a camera around trying to catch a quick candid of her hourglass frame.

Her style can only really be described as name brand, and more often than not, it's her own brand she is repping. Since her company has a wide array of items to sell to women, her clothes can change types at the drop of the hat. Especially if she is out for the public to see. When not under the lens of multiple cameras and in the security of her home, she wears a lot more comfort wear than people might expect. Sure, dresses are nice and flaunting the amazing luck she had with genetics and puberty is fun, but sometimes a girl just wants to relax. Not that that means she doesn't choose things without appeal, but you'll be more likely to see her in large sweaters that hang off her shoulders and shorts. A few of them look like they once belonged to a man, well-- multiple ones.

You can't reach the top without conviction and thick skin. No matter what you do, you'll always earn more enemies than allies when you succeed, and that was something Lily had to learn quickly when she was younger. Which is what shaped her to be the seemingly unbothered and confident woman that she is today. She does things how she wants them to be done and on her schedule, that at times her assistant has some trouble following since at times it can almost feel spontaneous.

Her questionable decisions to use her status as a public figure and the flock of paparazzi that has followed her since she was born to her advantage proving that she has a talent and eye for business. Not to mention, knowing well who her clientele are and why they are buying her products, both the expensive and inexpensive ones. It’s a hard take to fulfill, and has drawbacks to it that many might not realize, but being the iconic self-assured woman ideal who’s wanted by many and is thriving in a business she made on her own is something that most women would want to have. Even if only in a smaller capacity, and she knows that.

Does that make her manipulative? Yes. She isn’t naive enough to say otherwise, and neither are the many people who were caught up in her dating scandals. Allegedly, she is a very promiscuous bachelorette who seems to alway being caught with some other star in an intimate moment. Nothing risqué, but whether you could pick out that it is really her or not from the small amount of censoring of her face, her newly released items are always covered well within the shot. Almost as if it was planned from the start— allegedly. Some were just casual flings not meant to last, others spanned a few weeks, very few lasted more than a month. Ranging from popular artists to star athletes, she wasn’t very discern with whom she spent her time with, including their gender as well though she seems to favor males.

Needless to say, she has earned her share of love songs from the more sensitive ones who crossed her path. Maybe they got a better understanding of her than the ones who knew they wouldn’t last more than a week. Outside of a boardroom meeting, she can be warm and some might be inclined to say genuine at times. Her trust isn’t easily won, especially after being burned badly a few times in the early days of her company and having to go about it without any help from her family, but when it is— It’s a sight to behold.

When unafraid of her dirty laundry being aired, she will be more likely to show her faults and insecurities. While she always has a plan, it’s always free forming and adapting, it scares her that one day she might not be as lucky as she is now. All the riches in the world won’t save her if the very castle she built from scratch tumbles down around her. Not to mention that she is getting tired of short “trysts” being her only form of relationships, but they have kept her safe and her stocks high. But is she really ready to settle down, or is this another ploy to sell her newest line of products?

Lily has lived in the lap of luxury since the day she was born in New York City. Her parents were owners of a well known conglomerate named from her surname that picked up downtrodden businesses and built them back up for profit. And as the darling baby girl out of two brothers, she had earned her parents favor for just existing. There were no expectations of her ever taking over the business, so she got to live an incredibly easy and privileged life.

She got whatever her heart desired, from horse riding to fencing lessons and the ability to slide down an indoor slide on a mattress like in that old Princess Diaries movie. But even when she was young, had the same keen sense her father had, that her older brother’s lacked and loathed her for. Though her whole family refused to acknowledge it if it didn’t benefit them somehow. Namely her brothers asking for her help in their endeavors to earn their parents approval, or some girls since they were really hopeless when it came to anything that throwing money at couldn’t solve.

Which she was happy to take portions of their allowance as payment for helping them, tucking it away in her own little savings account she had made for herself. Earning her own money was always a sport for her, and being frugal with it was hardly a challenged since she didn’t have to pay out of pocket for anything. Not that she didn’t understand the importance of it, after all she had to help her brother’s often enough to hear them whine about their father not budging on increasing theirs when she was just within earshot from the library, taking her extra lessons her parents required of her.

Her mother’s interest in fashion influenced her own, because she wanted desperately to spend more time with either of her parents. Having their favor did not translate to having their time or attention, despite the stiff family dinners they held every night where it was more of a business meeting than a get together. Even their vacations were plagued with the lack of care, as she and her brothers were left to do as they pleased. Her mother didn’t even work, but was off galavanting with her friends, only occasionally bringing her along as an accessory. The pretty doll to dress up and show off how her children were so more well behaved.

When she could put together an outfit her mother liked, it became the go to for their strange relationship, where she was the advisor of sorts. At least, she had her attention. Knowing that, had made her pick up sewing and designing. Though that detail was missed, it was a nice feeling to know that from then on that whatever she was complimented for was truly something she had made on her on.

In her teens, things took an inopportune turn as she truly began to spread her wings with fashion, and her family had met with a rival company who had a son that was cutting into the profits of their own, slowly but surely. It wasn’t long before an unfavorable deal was struck so that both companies would benefit, and she was forced to spend copious amounts of time with a guy she couldn’t stand. His entitled attitude to her body being the last straw that had broke the camel’s back. She ask her family to discard the deal and allow her to cover the deficit with her own work.

They didn’t bite, in fact, her refusal to do this one thing for her family after all her years of being babied, had ended up with her being ostracized since she was just as stubborn in her decision. As they never saw pushing her to graduate early and starting college classes when she should have been enjoying high school as a detriment. It was a favor as much as it was an investment, and it was their darling baby girl who was the product this time.

Her eighteenth birthday came, and instead of a wedding, she had used all of her savings to start her own company with a few of her own designs, while she lived with a friend. That friend being very accommodating with her with little asked in return while she was struggling to get out there without using her family’s name. Really, just being able to flaunt helping the down on her luck Reigan from the goodness of her heart was enough. It didn’t matter that she spilled the information about her situation to make herself look better ended up putting Lily’s company in the spotlight.

It was infuriating having her work undermined, and even more so that the effect was increasingly positive. Her family’s terms damaged their reputation and further estranging them from her while putting her on a sympathetic pedestal that woman rallied behind. They started to buy her products at first to support her, but stayed for the quality. It would be a lie to say this wasn’t a defining moment for her, and didn’t pave the way for what she would be doing today in more ways than one.

Branching away from her loose lipped friend with only a thank you and gift bag, she was entirely on her own for the next few years as she scrimped and saved her way through a business degree on her own dime while also funneling money to he business. Expanded slowly with time and researching thoroughly what partners she was outsourcing to while using social media to keep herself from blending back into the scenery.

She didn’t make a good profit until she was twenty three and her tactics changed like how her customers had. They, like her, were independent young women who wanted the best that life could offer. Which became the identity that she put forward since, no longer stuck in her family’s lengthy shadow, her company was its own. As was she, her dating life only became a hot topic after she could finally relax enough to take full advantage the fruits of her labor.

One of those fruits being that she now had the time to date as she pleased and spending more time for herself now that she had people under her to delegate the work to, ones she had grown to trust from working alongside them all this time. Now that she is in her late twenties, her family has reached out to her, despite her various attempts to keep them at arms length away from her. A short visit back home had allowed to hear officially of her father’s impending retirement, and while she stood a foot from the dinner table they were seated at. Her brother’s and their wives bickering about who was going to be the next head of the company when to all of their surprise, their father asked it of her.

Unlike her two brothers, who have been squandering their positions and constantly instigating problems they couldn’t manage on their own, she prove her worth beyond what he needed from owning a company of her own. Knowing it would be safe in her hands, her father made only one condition for her to meet if she wanted to take over despite how it would agitate further her relationship with her mother and brothers.

If she wanted to take over, she needed to be married. She didn’t give a direct answer, but unfortunately for her, the plans to release her latest line of products while she went on the United at Heart cruise now seeming less like a good idea. However the money was paid, and if she canceled now, the alternative of spending her first holidays back at home in years was even less appealing. At least she could enjoy the cruise and whatever eye candy there was if she went.

FC: Elizabeth Gillies // DBAFF8

• Knows how to speak Spanish, Mandarin, French, and ASL.
• Is well read; favors fantasy, romance, and science fiction.
• Soap Operas are a guilty pleasure of hers, as well as Disney and Pixar movies. She has gone many times to Florida for that reason.
• Owns two huskies. Shasta and Kiala, who are being watched by her assistant Mariel.

Rachel Kim Sujin

Twenty Six (24th December)

Female

Heterosexual

Professional Snowboarder / Snowboard Instructor

Standing at 5 feet 7 inches, the first notable facial feature you’ll recognize of Rachel are those highly distinctive chocolate brown eyes and her rich raven black hair. Her face is heart-shaped, her nose slender, and her lips a healthy shade of pink. In times of happiness, darling little dents of delight appear on her youthful visage, the dimples ever present whenever any form of smile or grin makes itself known. Her long dark locks that fall down her shoulder compliments her fair skin tone very well. Some healed scars are visible from falls and scrapes from her sporting career. If she was to be asked about her favorite feature, her eyes would win without any further hesitation on her part. Focused and expressive, her eyes are the windows to her soul and carries a message when her lips doesn’t. Her figure is slim and athletic with her fair share of muscles from her highly physical lifestyle.

Strong-willed, passionate and headstrong. These words sum up Rachel well. A fun-loving and passionate soul, Rachel loves having fun, and she works just as hard as she plays hard. She is devoted and committed to those she loves and befriends. Since young, she has always been the type of girl that mingles and plays with the boys while holding her own.

Her blatant honesty and candor has always led her to speak anything on her mind, and some might find that annoying about her. There are also those that appreciate the truth and weight of her words, and know that they’ll always be getting the honest truth from her without any added nonsense. She’s inherently stubborn and more than capable of asserting and standing up for herself. She tries her best to stay calm in crises in an attempt to take hold of the situation and turn the odds into her favor, but these attempts often fail as the impulsive side of her often takes over. She is also known to get possessive of her personal belongings, and gets anxious when she has to entertain the thought of sharing them with others. When things don’t go her way, she displays her her displeasure openly but without making too much of a fuss out of it. Although she may have an impulsive side of her, when it comes to the more intimate matters, she doesn't like to rush into things. Woefully unprepared, she gets put off by the pushy sort of seeks to confirm arrangements so early into the relationship which often causes her to panic internally. Every day is a new day to her, and she doesn't want to lock-in her choices until she feels that person is that very special one.

As someone who lives in the present, she needs to know that she has the freedom to be passionate about something one day and indifferent to something the next, without being grilled on when she is going to finish something or why she has suddenly changed her mind. That's how her she is and the person that fits her would have to understand and accept her for who she is.

Rachel hates being underestimated. Romantic relationships has never quite worked out the way she wanted. Apart from one or two flings in her past, her love life has been pretty stagnant. It’s difficult enough for her to find someone that fits, and even more to be able to ensure that the relationship would work out. She has a thing for nerds and goofy guys who are able to appreciate having in life. She especially loves a guy who can takes jokes and make his own fair share of them, especially puns and dad jokes. Where others might cringe at lame dad jokes, those never fail to lift her spirits and make her smile.

Born in Los Angeles, Rachel's parents were immigrants who migrated over from South Korea. Her mother, Vanessa worked as a Pediatric surgeon in one of the largest and most prominent hospitals in LA and her father, Richard worked as civil defense attorney. Despite being born in a wealthy family, her parents had ensured that she and her brother followed a proper upbringing and remained humble and modest. They were strict but loving, and doted on their children. They were taught to never give-up and always work her to achieve their goals. From the very beginning, Vanessa and Richard were very supportive of their interests and hobbies, and actively encouraged their children to pursue their dreams and engage in whatever field of interest they found themselves attracted to. Her brother Michael developed a passion for acting and aspired to be a Hollywood actor.

Rachel, on the other hand, found herself developing a passion for snowboarding. Her father, an avid snowboarder introduced the winter sport to Rachel when she was just seven. She has always felt right at home surrounded by the mountains filled with snow, the slopes and with her board at hand. By age nine, she was already blowing down the mountain and sitting by the lift as she waited for her father to do his fanciful turns and tricks as he came to meet her. The older she grew, the more advanced her skills and technique developed and soon she was outclassing just about every snowboarder in the state. With her sights set a professional snowboarding career, there was just no stopping the lass from achieving her dreams.

It wouldn't be wrong to say that she sucked at romance. Although she may have had more than a handful of relationships, none of them had lasted very long. She'd had always been the type to live in the present, always look for new activities and new experiences, and that is too much to cope with, they said. Many of her past boyfriends had referred her to as too much of a hassle to keep up with, her abundance of energy too much for them to handle. She's also the type to require a great deal of personal space, both physically and mentally and attempts to control her or forcibly schedule her activities only accelerated the end of such demanding relationships. As a passionate person, once she finds herself committed to a relationship, her feelings run deep and strong, but she tends to conceal and protect them, because she is unsure on how to deal with them and express them. This often causes misunderstandings that she is disinterested even though that couldn't be further from the truth. The losses of relationships from such a manner hurts her the most and are the most painful ones she often has to bear.

Her older brother Michael pursued his acting career with his goal of starring in a big Hollywood blockbuster after graduating from college, and Rachel continued on with her snowboarding dreams. Qualifying to represent the USA National Snowboarding Team for the 2018 Winter Olympics changed her life forever. She went on to win the gold medal for Team USA in the Women's Halfpipe finals in Korea's first ever winter Olympics. It brought her into a spotlight and placed her at the center of attention, something she found exhilarating. Since then, other than training for competitions, she has also taken up a job as a snowboard instructor in Big Bear Mountain Resort in the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere, and then travelling to the Perisher Ski Resort for the winter months in the Southern Hemisphere. Her reason for being on the cruise? A lost bet. She had agreed on the bet placed by both her parents that if she did not win a gold medal in the recent X Games Aspen Superpipe competition.

Worried about her non-existent dating life despite her popularity, her parents had something up their sleeves as they devised a plan to get her dating life in order if she was to ever get going. Before she even reached home, the ticket to United At Heart cruise aboard the SS Asarte was already fully paid for by her parents. True to her word, and knowing that there would be no-end to the nagging if she did not go, Rachel found herself headed towards the Caribbean and spending Christmas for the first time aboard a cruise far from the snow filled mountains filled of skiers and snowboarders. Despite going on the cruise willingly, Rachel is unsure if anything would come out of this, and if finding love in such a way would even be possible.

FC: Sowon (Kim Sojung) // FC3A23

• She also loves drawing.
• She has been snowboarding since she was seven.
• She absolutely loves anything with noodles, especially Ramyun/Ramen and Udon.
• Her most notable accomplishments include being the current World, Olympic, and former X Games champion.
• Her claim to fame was winning the gold medal for USA in the Women's Halfpipe finals in Korea's first ever winter Olympics.
• She is an accomplished four time X Games SuperPipe medalist, winning herself three gold and one silver.
• She was also included in TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2018.
• She is a brand ambassador for Red Bull and Roxy.
• Loves pizza and french fries a little too much for her own good.

Allison Bentley-Song

29

Female

Pansexual

Resident Doctor at Johns Hopkins University

Allison is the epitome of a perfectionist and an absolute hardass. Failure is not an option to her, and she won't take anything less than the absolute best. Since high school, she has only gained confidence in herself. Someway along the line, she found the confidence she lacked in high school -- and now she's become much more of an alpha. Not willing to take anyone's shit and knowing just what exactly she wants. Allison isn't afraid to assert herself and make what she wants to do known. Allison has a very cutthroat mentality, not hesitating to abandon anything or anyone that will only hinder her path to success.

She can still be the soft and sweet little bean that she was in high school, it's just really, really, really hard to get her to do so due to her being balls-deep in a cutthroat environment for many, many years. She watches out for herself, and herself only, finding that she is the only person around she can really rely on. However, she is also someone you can rely on, so long as you've gained her trust and respect. Allison is also a very good listener and someone who likes to hand out sage advice, provided she actually knows something about whatever you're asking her about.

Allison was born to two prolific professional wrestlers, Amanda Bentley, known as Tsunami, and Hana Song, known as Death Adder. Growing up, Allison was quickly immersed in the world of wrestling. Being backstage at shows as a kid, she got to know quite a lot of wrestlers as her parents would take her along to shows. In some cases, she even appeared in some episodes, of course, with the promise that she would not be hurt or involved in anything shady. However, neither Allison or Hana particularly wanted wrestling to be a family business, so they ended up pushing her more toward the academic side of things.

It sort of backfired on the Bentley-Song family, considering she went a little too far on the academic end and started to put pressure on herself. Knowing that the Bentley-Song family wasn't entirely interested in having Allison get into the same business as them, Allison took it upon herself to make sure she did the very best she could. Late nights studying and working her ass off were very, very common, much to the dismay of her parents. However, the work would eventually pay off as she landed herself an admission to Princeton University. There, she got herself a B.S in Chemistry, before transferring to Johns Hopkins University for medical school and her residency in internal medicine, which she is toward the end of.

Life as a budding professional in the medical world was was difficult in terms her social and romantic life. Allison barely had time for herself, let alone other people or even a significant other. Either she was in the hospital doing rounds and other doctor things, or she was at home sleeping, catching up on paperwork, or binging Netflix with Chinese food on her plate. A friend of hers suggested that she take a vacation, a break from the high intensity of her work as a doctor. Reluctantly, Allison accepted, knowing full well that other things could happen on this cruise. Not like she minded, of course.

FC: natalia dyer // pink

• Allison ONLY uses Pilot G2 Pens. Allison relies on these pens for pretty much anything and everything. She owns one in every single color imaginable. She is the only person that actually uses those ink refills.
• Allison has a LEGAL prescription for adderall now, but she's much better about its use.
• Allison has a dog, a German Shepherd, named Diana, and a fluffy white cat named Sophia

Gabriel Hernandez

29

Male

Bisexual

Musician

Aries, the lead singer, and guitarist of a heavy metal band called Fourdust. Known for his deep voice, crazy vocal fry and crazy guitar riffs.

Many think of Gabriel as intimidating when they first meet him, and he certainly looks that way, just a bit over 6’0” and weighing in at around 180 pounds, give or take. His large arms and ink-covered skin certainly present him as some hard ass. The dark well-groomed beard only adds more to this illusion he created of himself. While his outer exterior makes clearly fits the idea of a metal singer, his eyes betray the persona he carefully built over time. The honey-colored eyes can never maintain eye contact. His scarred arms and fingers always toy with something in repetitive patterns. Gabriel is always looking around him as if he is expecting something to jump out to get him.

Gabriel loves red. Red and black are his two favorite combinations, and he is always seen wearing them. His style revolves around the need to feel bigger and tougher than he is. So leather jackets, studded shoes, lots of skulls and rings. Anything that a stereotypical metal star would wear, he has it. Even when it's hot, he's always wearing something black and fashionable. Although, lately, he has been seen around with sweats more often than not.

Gabriel is the charismatic, talkative, and friendly leader of the band.

He's an easy-going dude with an ever-present lopsided grin on his lips. While his looks may scream upright rich asshole, his personality is quite the opposite. He is a gentleman who loves to explore nature or spend his time with his daughter. Gabriel isn't quick to judge and believes in second impressions. He is polite, patient, and understanding. He's always up to a one on one discussion and is comfortable with small talk. While Gabriel still has a calm demeanor, he always has his guard up.

He is a kind and curious man that doesn't shy away from an adventure. During social gatherings, Gabriel mingles here and there but never sticks around too long, preferring to stay alone most of the time. While a few alcohol shots would do the trick to loosen up his tongue and demeanor, it has proven quite tricky to get him to drink. But if you manage to get him drunk, Gabriel becomes a loud and emotional person who will not turn his back from any challenge. Ask him to jump off a second story house into a pool? Fuck it.

Gabriel has problems setting boundaries for himself and others. He has issues distinguishing red flags in some people. He tends to be too trusting, and it just results in people walking all over him. He doesn't like confrontation. He doesn't like talking about his problems or even thinking about them. Want to talk about the fact his ex was an abusive asshole? Nah, Gabriel has a blunt to smoke. He will use his jokes and goofy smile to sidetrack the conversation. Gabriel tries to use humor as a coping mechanism, something that people find a bit cynical.

Gabriel doesn't talk about his childhood or anything before college. The tabloids haven't been able to get their grubby little hands on his past either-- something he is very proud of. During interviews, they always ask him about his family or who he was before Fourdust was formed. Gabriel has only shared a few facts here and there.

There are a few things the tabloids know; Gabriel has a seven-year-old daughter, he has four dogs, and his band is slowly falling apart. Gabriel always tried to save his daughter from the flashing cameras and gossip-hungry tabloids. He wants her to grow up away from the public eye. Gabriel has done an excellent job for now. No one knows her name or what she looks like, or who her mother is. As for the rumors that Fourdust is falling apart, Gabriel's mental state has been on a decline for a few years now. Because of that, his skills have begun to diminish too. Shit, there are days when he can't even get the energy to get out of bed or play. The band's last tour was a year.

It was a year ago that Gabriel came out of a long term relationship with an abusive man. Gabriel was repeatedly humiliated and patronized. Belittled and told to shut up. His ex often showered him with love then just completely ignored, so Gabriel always tried to please in any way he could just to feel the love again. It went on for almost two years. First, it has been a slap. A playful one, then it only got worse. Pills took the edge off for a while. Then it became harder drugs. Everyone around him tried to help Gabriel, but he just ignored them. It only came to a stop when his daughter was almost hurt because of him. After that, he blamed himself nonstop.

The whole ordeal made him realize the cycle he was living in. It had started before he had even been born, and he was still a part of it. He's still trying to recover and seek the help he needs to move past this with his daughter.

His band members and his agent convinced him into rehab. He hasn't been able to stay sober for long. Withdrawals make Gabriel slip up no matter how hard he tries. So he tried something different. A vacation. Away from everything and everyone he knows. Something simple to take his mind off things. His daughter is staying with her mother for the week of Christman, so Gabriel seized the opportunity to get on a week-long cruise. Just him, a bunch of strangers, and the urge to dig into his pills.

FC: Juan Luis Londoño Arias // #7c0a02 / Barn red

• His daughter's name is Marisol.
• Has an obsession with plants. His home is like a forest.
• He speaks Spanish, English, and French.
• Has been using video games as a scapegoat. His favorite are always RPGs or story-based.
• Has a nicotine and drug addiction.
• His ex has been trying to contact him for a while now.

Vincent Reeves

35

Male

Heterosexual

Executive Movie Producer

Vincent is a workaholic, through and through. He eats, sleeps, and breathes the hustle, and has since the day he was born. Of course, he wouldn’t want it any other way, working hard has found him great success, and why wouldn’t he want that?

Vince is the eccentric rich person most people only think exists in movies. From the way he dresses and talks, to the way he thinks, Vincent is your stereotypical rich guy. He’s loud, excessive, extra… all those words could be used to accurately describe him. From the outside looking in, Vince has been described as a ‘ruthless’ businessman; and that’s not inaccurate. Vince knows what he wants, and how to get it. He’s well spoken, and good at convincing people that what he wants is what they want. Usually, his methods include bold moves such as speaking quickly and over other people. Being the loudest in the room means he’s the most correct, right? Right. Vince is high strung and overworked, incapable of taking a break. He thoroughly believes that taking a break to go on this vacation is a mistake, but he was forced to do so by his inner circle.

Deep down, Vince isn’t completely devoid of good traits. He’s dependable, and reliable. If he says he’ll do something for someone, he always gets it done. For the few people he calls his friends, Vincent is a reliable person. While not the best at handling emotions, either his own or someone else’s, Vince will always take care of someone the only way he knows how: buying them food and making sure they have plenty of water to drink.

Somewhat socially inept, Vince doesn't do too well in debates, or friendly arguments. He’ll take things too personally, and lash out when it happens. Admitting he’s wrong is another thing he’s not good at — instead of saying he was wrong, he gets defensive and points out different ways it went wrong, anything he can do to get the target off of his back.

As a capstone, Vincent is at least humorous. He’s the first one to laugh, and will find something funny in most situations — even inappropriate ones. With a morbid sense of humor, Vince’s only method to break an awkward silence is to crack a joke, whether its in good taste or not.

Vinny Reeves learned the necessity of the hustle early on in his life. His father was a lawyer — one that people called an ‘ambulance chaser,’ and his mother was her own boss. She sold Cutco Knives, Mary Kay Cosmetics, and Pampered chef. Along with the racket his dad ran at the hospital, he had a successful private eye company, which he built using the skillset he gained working as a police officer before Vince was born.

Vincent’s parents were both too busy with their own work to be much help, so as soon as he learned to walk, Vince learned how to take care of himself. He learned to cook as a preteen, and he learned the importance of networking as an adolescent. Vince worked at a local corner store sweeping floors and unloading stock in exchange for pizza coupons, and the corner store owner told the pizzeria owner how good of a worker he was, and that led to Vince bussing tables there for pocket change (the pizzeria owner was nice enough to pay him actual cash). The pocket change he turned into bubblegum… something he bought so frequently and so often both his parents thought he was addicted to it.

However, that was not the case. In fact…

Vince was the kind of kid to buy a pack of bubblegum for a dollar, and sell all 12 pieces for a quarter each. In his junior year of high school, he started downloading songs off of Limewire and burning them to CDs in the school library before selling them. In college, he graduated from selling pirated songs to pirated movies. Between selling his pirated movies and CDs, Vince made enough money to lease a music studio, which he used to help produce albums for his roommate's “band.” Frankly, Vince thought their music fucking sucked, but what didn’t suck was the absurd prices he charged them to record at his studio.

When the music studio started getting big, Vince was quick to capitalize on it even if he thought their music was the worst thing since ska. Alternative rock, at the time, was big. Vince ran his mouth, signed them to a record distribution deal that heavily favored himself — fortunately, his roommate wasn’t the brightest bulb in the room, and he eagerly signed it. Thus, the Emerald Recording Studios were formed.

With the help of Vincent’s over the top promotion, the album quickly was certified platinum within six months, and Vince found more than a few other groups looking to sign with the Emerald Recording Studios. With a bit of work, Vince signed a few other producers, a few more executives and a few more groups. Soon enough, the Studio had multiple certified Diamond music acts under their belt, and Vincent took the company public as EEC: The Emerald Entertainment Company.

With the money he raised from that, Vince moved to Hollywood six years ago, and started producing movies. This, he found to be his biggest challenge yet. Between the SCAG, the DGA, and the WGA, Vince found it harder to hustle bigger names in the industry, so The Emerald Entertainment Company didn’t initially produce any movies. Instead, Vince began working on networking in the industry. He attended mixers, met people, and built a rapport with some of the more and budding stars. After two years in Hollywood, the Emerald Entertainment Company began to produce indie films.

After hitting it out of the park there, with multiple awards won, Vince spent the last few years producing massive summer blockbusters. This was his original goal, but the EEC continues to produce indie films on the side, as a side hustle to keep up appearances. Famously in the industry, Vince has never watched a film his company produces; he just watches the dollars go up.

Now thirty-five, Vince has been told it’s time to take a break, a real, genuine vacation for the first time in his life. Forcibly leaving his Blackberry behind, along with his personal assistant, Vince is boarding the S.S. Astarte for a week of relaxation, and free booze (or, at least he thinks it should be free, given how much it cost to the fucking ticket).

FC: Chris Evans // 30dbd5

• nothing of note for here