Welcome to Copper Harbor! We are a fictional town, located in Northern Washington State. We have a university that we are very proud of. There is drama, life, laughter, love, and plenty more. Join in on the fun!
yeah, i guess i'm a disappointment, doin' everything i can i don't wanna make you disappointed, it's annoying i just wanna make you feel like everything i ever do was never tryna make an issue for you but i guess the more you thought about everything you were never even wrong in the first place, right?
Another day, another class. Life was rotating, and nothing really seemed to be changing. Sure, he just arrived at Copper Harbor, but he still wasn't sure about how he felt here. He kicked himself for not really knowing what was going on in his life. He liked what his major was. He liked where he was going in life. But he still hadn't met anyone he could trust with his life. He hadn't been able to talk to anyone about his thoughts, or his life, or why he was the way he was. But again, talking about himself wasn't easy for him. He didn't know who he could trust, and who he couldn't. Or who he would annoy with his life stories. He had no idea what he was doing with himself.
He headed out to the boardwalk, figuring a good walk would do him well. He watched the calm water as the ships rolled in and out of the harbor. He leaned against the boardwalk fence, and breathed in the salty air. He loved being at the beach. Ryan was glad he came to Copper Harbor. If only just for being near the ocean. The water always seemed to relax him.
Post by Daniella Harper on Feb 18, 2018 0:44:41 GMT
&& the music plays when you say my name
A year and a half gone, you would think I'd have it all together by now. Maybe a year had gone by, but Dani's heart was still in North Carolina. Her mind had been on her grades that first year away at school, and she'd kept her head down. But now she was halfway through the second school year and Dani realized how lonely she was. As she locked her car and walked towards the boardwalk, her thoughts were back home. She missed the familiarity, she missed her little brother...she missed knowing where she belonged.
Still, she thought to herself as her feet hit the boardwalk, Copper Harbor isn't all bad. She closed her eyes and breathed in the smell of the ocean. Dani loved the water. It was the one thing she could say she would definitely miss should she go back home anytime soon. Leaning against the wooden rail, she shivered against the ocean breeze. How relaxing it was... This was a place one could clear their mind.
She turned to walk further down, eyes on the horizon. What a nice day it would be to take a boat out on- thud.
"Ouch...I am so sorry!" Yup. That happened. She'd just run into someone. And he was clearly just trying to enjoy the view. Her face felt hot as she looked up...and up. So...he's tall, she thought.
His home life growing up had been rough. Getting away from there was probably one of the best things he did. But still, he couldn't believe he had decided to major in business. He would do well, however. He was smart, and loved doing what he could to help companies be successful. Ryan hoped he'd be able to become a CEO of one, eventually. That was something he was sure of. However, unlike most business men, he cared about the environment. He wasn't one of those big oil fanatics. He'd rather have a different energy source, such as the sun or wind. Something more natural.
Ryan stared out at the harbor, not paying any attention to the girl walking towards him. When she collided with him, he side-stepped a bit. He looked towards her, a bit confused. "It's okay," he said, rubbing his arm just a bit. Luckily, he hadn't fallen. That would have been even more embarrassing, on both of their parts. "I'm Ryan," he said, sticking his hand out to introduce himself.
Post by Daniella Harper on Feb 22, 2018 15:52:22 GMT
How embarrassing. The stranger moved slightly on impact, but had not completely lost his balance, and that was a relief. Still, what an awful first impression. He's just a stranger at the boardwalk, Dani, you'll probably never see him again... she thought to herself. That brought some comfort, but not enough.
His expression was that of confusion and Dani noted that his hand was on his arm. Ugh, he's going to have a bruise and remember this forever. She didn't stop her hand from going to her face, covering her eyes in embarrassment. "It's okay," she heard the man say. Slowly, she lowered her hand and offered a sheepish grin. She took his outstretched hand, her face still warm. "Daniella...Dani," she told him after he'd offered his name.
Releasing his hand, she rubbed her arms against the chill from the water, more because she was still slightly embarrassed and didn't know what else to do than she was cold. "I, uh, I guess I got lost in the scenery," she said with a smile, shrugging her shoulder towards the open water. "Maybe I've just been studying too long today and I'm not all here." She let out a brief chuckle.
He looked the girl over. She was a cutie, but he probably wouldn't see her again. Unless he asked for her number or something, but he wasn't quite that bold. "Nice to meet you, Dani," he said, and let go of her hand after shaking it. Ryan wasn't a guy to share his story with anyone. He kept to himself mostly, and that usually turned girls off anyways. He didn't like to talk about himself. He was a gentle guy, and would talk about almost anything else. Especially when it came to the environment.
"No worries, things happen," he said, and shrugged it off as if he was already forgetting about it. He really didn't mind. And he could completely understand getting lost in the scenery. And studying too hard. He laughed at her comment. " Now that I can believe," he said. Studying too hard was typical for an everyday college student. And since there was only one college in the nearby area, he figured it was safe to assume she was also attending Copper Harbor. "Might as well enjoy the view together, if you don't mind?" he asked. They were already both on the boardwalk. And if she attended the college, then there was a chance they would see each other again.
Post by Daniella Harper on Feb 25, 2018 22:37:17 GMT
Things happen. Sure, that was true. Maybe it wasn't that bad. Ryan's response to her comment about studying stirred her interest. Did he relate? Perhaps he was also a student. "Fellow student?" she guessed aloud. "Do you go to UCH, too?" Maybe she would see him again. That realization brought mixed feelings. On the one hand, knowing someone on campus could be kind of nice, especially considering she'd been such a hermit for a good year. On the other hand, did it have to be someone she'd run over?
His question stirred something else. Butterflies? That feeling took her by surprise. Perhaps she'd gone too long without decent socialization. He wanted to hang out? She assumed nothing. It wasn't asked in some flirty manner or anything, anyway. And she didn't take it that way. Surely he was just being nice. For a moment, she considered letting him off the hook and offering some excuse about needing to get back to the text books. However, if she were being honest, the thought of spending some time outside of her books was refreshing. And he seemed a nice enough person. "Sure," she smiled. "I need a break."
Dani turned back to the railing and leaned her forearms against the wood, and felt herself relaxing. "So, what's your major?" she asked, genuinely curious about this new acquaintance.
"Yeah, UCH," he smiled. There weren't many colleges around, but it didn't change the fact that he could have gone somewhere else and was just visiting. She wasn't wrong to ask. He figured he might as well get to know this girl, especially since she also went to the college he was attending. Despite the fact the college was big, he would probably run into the girl again. Especially if she enjoyed spending time on the boardwalk. It was a great place to be. The view was beautiful, and all the ships that came in and out were a wonder to see. There was always so much going on.
He smiled when she agreed to spend time with him. "Everyone needs a break once in awhile," he said. "Not good to spend all your time studying. You won't remember a thing." Studying too much for him usually caused memory issues. He would lose focus and forget what he was reading. Breaks were good for the body.
"Business,"Currently, he didn't look like a business major. He was dressed in jeans, a jacket and a beanie to go with. When he wasn't in his suits, he usually looked fairly casual. With his messy hair, and laid-back style, most people would never assume he was a business major. He loved what he was doing though. Eventually, he hoped to be able to incorporate a business while taking care of the environment, and taking care of two things he loved at once. "What about you? What are you studying?" he asked.
Post by Daniella Harper on Mar 1, 2018 0:16:01 GMT
Sure, a break. Everyone needs one once in a while. Dani supposed Ryan was right about that. In fact, a break was exactly what she needed. All study and no relaxation had made her more stressed than she even realized, and as she settled in to enjoy some time outside of her text books, she could feel the tension roll off of her back. The feeling stirred a sigh, and she smiled, nodding in agreement. A break. Yeah... That sounded perfect.
Her lips pursed and she nodded again as he explained his major. "Business, huh?" she replied, taking a look at his appearance. The beanie, most notably, suggested something else. "I would have guessed...art? Maybe music." She shrugged. It didn't really matter how he dressed, especially since they were not currently on campus. How he dressed in his free time wasn't going to determine anything about his grades or his future career, after all.
What about you? he'd asked. "Education. I want to teach," she answered with a shrug. As nonchalant as she'd spoken, she couldn't conceal the smile that presented whenever she thought, much less spoke, of her dream job. Working with children, that's all she wanted to do. And teaching? What a way to impact young lives. She could hardly wait for the day she would walk into her own classroom.
Ryan nodded. "Yeah, I get that a lot," he said. He was used to people assuming he was a different major. He could have went on to be an art or music major with no problem. He loved both subjects, and was fairly good in each of them. But business was what his heart was set on. He loved what he was doing, and figured he could try to do some good with it. "If you saw me on campus, you'd think otherwise," he laughed. When he was in classes and on campus, he was usually dressed up in his suits. He looked more professional then.
"Education is a good major," he commented. Teaching was important, and it was a selfless job. Though with everything going on in the world, it was also kind of a scary profession. "It's definitely not a job I could do," he said. Teaching wasn't his forte, but he respected those who could do it. Ryan didn't mind kids; he loved them. But the teaching part was the hard thing. He would never get the hang of creating lessons and such. It was a good thing he didn't major in education.
"What do you do for fun?" he asked. "Besides coming to the boardwalk?" The boardwalk was nice and all, but he was sure she had some other hobbies of her own. At least, he hoped she did. Studying constantly was not a fun thing to do. And not a good hobby. But he understood the needs of a college student.
Post by Daniella Harper on Mar 5, 2018 14:39:31 GMT
If you saw me on campus, you'd think otherwise. "I'll keep an eye out," she responded. Would she recognize him if he were dressed in business attire? She stepped back a little and tried to imagine him in something less casual. Sure, Ryan had a handsome, friendly face and Dani was confident that she could remember it.
Dani chuckled at his comment about teaching. "I'm sure it will be a challenge, but I love kids. There's never been any other career choice, in my mind. It's like...I feel like teaching is my calling in a way, you know? Maybe that sounds weird..." Dani realized that many people chose majors based on how much money they could make, or how successful they could be in the long run. It just wasn't that way for her. "I just love kids," she smiled warmly. Maybe it wasn't that weird... Yes, kids, and education, were her calling for sure.
Was she opening up too much now? Did Ryan want to hear about her passion for her major? Maybe, maybe not. Still, Dani had never been one to keep much to herself. She was modest, humble, but she was an open book. And she loved getting to know about other people, as well. Maybe she shared so much with strangers and acquaintances because she thought they would feel more comfortable about sharing, themselves. She never wanted anyone to feel like they couldn't speak openly with her, even if it was about something she didn't quite understand. And there were plenty of things she didn't understand. She liked to learn, though.
Ryan asked about her hobbies, pulling her from her thoughts. "Fun?" Dani pursed her lips, thinking. "I like to read," she started. "And I love being by the water. Boardwalk, beaches... I used to visit the lake back home a lot in the summer. So, swimming. I like swimming." She rest one elbow on the boardwalk and angled herself so was facing Ryan more. "I grew up in North Carolina. We sort of split our summers between the lake and the beach. And I volunteered with summer camps more in high school." If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine that she was on the Carolina coast now. The breeze, the sound of the water hitting the wooden support beams below their feet... "Where did you grow up?" she asked.
Ryan smiled. He hoped he would see this girl on campus, and hopefully she'd be able to recognize him. He figured he'd be able to recognize her with no problem. "Sounds great," he said.
"No, no, don't stop," he said. "It doesn't sound weird at all. If you're passionate about it, then go for it. It sounds like you're going to be an amazing teacher." Ryan enjoyed listening to people talk about what they love to do. The passion in someone's voice, and the joy they have was just exhilarating. "Kids can be fun," he grinned. He wouldn't personally be able to teach children; it seemed like exhausting work. But he was glad someone wanted to do it. Especially someone like Dani, who he thought would do an amazing job.
Ryan didn't like to think of his home life very much. He hadn't grown up in a very good environment. He kinda shrugged her question off. "I'm from Washington. Didn't really go very far," he said. He should have gone much further for college than he did, but as long as he wasn't going back home, he'd be fine. He couldn't handle anymore from his dad. "I don't like talking about home, much," he said.
Post by Daniella Harper on Mar 13, 2018 17:55:41 GMT
Dani was starting to get the impression that Ryan was an encouraging person, kind. She sensed that he wanted the best for other people. Maybe he didn't think about it so deeply, but he made her feel comfortable. She felt like she could talk about her passions without feeling embarrassed for any reason. It sounds like you're going to be an amazing teacher. Her cheeks felt warm again. "Thank you," she said, eyes turning to her feet. That meant a lot, and she would have said so, but she didn't want to embarrass him, or make him uncomfortable. Still, hearing someone cheer you on in something you love is special.
Dani's opinion of Washington as a kid from North Carolina was that it rained a lot, and it was cold. After all, it was north of her. It was far away, though, and so she'd not given it much thought growing up. And then Twilight came out one day and all she cared to remember about that was the trees. The forests there seemed beautiful. Now that she was here, she could attest to that. Still, there was so much more than just pretty forests.
He didn't say much aside from not wanting to talk about "home". "Do you ever think you'll move away? Washington forever?" she asked him. If she could move anywhere...where would it be? That would take some thought, she guessed.
Ryan grew up in a home full of nothing but abuse. He usually wasn't the one getting the beatings, but he watched from a distance, not saying much about it. It terrorized him, even still. He hated himself for how long he allowed it to go on and never say anything. In fact, he never said anything about it, at least not to anyone important. His sister and his mom had finally decided they had enough of it and called the cops on his dad. Those two had always been the ones to take most of the abuse. Ryan couldn't stand himself for not standing up for them back then. But he had never been the one quite bold enough. He had always been afraid of getting hit himself.
"No problem," he said, smiling at her. "I really think your students are going to love you." He was beginning to come on a little strong, and he mentally took a step back. He didn't want her to think of him as overbearing, especially when he really wasn't that type of person. He had always been reserved and quiet. "What do you want to teach?" he asked her.
"Honestly, haven't thought much about it," he said, staring out at the water. "Probably travel awhile, try to figure out how to incorporate a business into helping the environment." He didn't really have a plan of what he was going to do with his life after college. He figured he had made it this far, and as of now, that was a good thing. "What about you? Headed back to North Carolina?" he asked.
Post by Daniella Harper on Mar 29, 2018 23:18:54 GMT
He has a nice smile, Dani thought to herself. That was a good quality to have. A good smile, especially one that reached a person's eyes, could make you feel at ease with the person. You could almost judge whether or not the person was trustworthy by their smile- as far as Dani was concerned, anyway. Ryan had a trustworthy smile, warm. Her opinion of his smile was backed by his following words, as he assured her that students would love her. Her heart warmed at the thought. Hearing someone else affirm her passion made it feel real. She could hardly wait to be in the classroom.
"What do you want to teach?" he asked her. She pursed her lips, thinking of an answer to that question. "I guess it's not so much the subject," she started, slowly. "It's the age, I guess. I'm studying specifically for early childhood, elementary age, you know..." She paused, thinking. "I guess if I wasn't over a specific class, music would be a fun class to teach. I think science will be fun with young kids, too." She could see the eager young faces, and hoped she could inspire her class one day. And classes to come, for that matter.
"I'd like to, yeah. I love North Carolina...but, you know, one day I'd love to move to the beach. The salty air, palm trees, and nothing but water on the horizon." She smiled as she described her happy place. "But, who knows. I guess I'll go wherever my prince charming is waiting," she laughed, reaching up to push her hair back out of her face. Prince charming... yeah. Because there were so many "prince charming"s back home? Not quite.
Dani seemed like someone he wanted to get to know. She was stunning, kind, and caring. She wanted to do something with her life, and she had goals. Ryan definitely didn't want this to be their first and last meeting. Though, he was fairly certain he may see her on campus again. But then again, maybe not. It was a university, after all. He knew he needed to ask for her number or something if he ever wanted to see her again.
"That's amazing," he said, listening intently. "Young children are so impressionable. It'll be good for them to have a good influence." He was starting to flirt now, though not intentionally. Not that he minded flirting with her, either. "Music and science are interesting subjects, though," he said. "Usually the fun ones." Science used to be his favorite subject in school. It was where he learned the most about the environment, and what was going wrong with it. Environmental biology was one of the classes he was currently taking, even though it had nothing to do with his degree. He just loved learning about the Earth, and what he could do to help it.
Ryan smiled at her, shaking his head. "Don't let your Prince Charming take you away from your dream," he said. Guys could be so controlling. He had a hard time trusting guys, even to this day. They could be the friendliest of people, and Ryan would still be wary of them. He usually felt bad, and always did his best to at least give them a chance, though. "The beach, though, eh?" he asked, leaning on the ledge of the boardwalk. "You'd have some amazing views."
