Name: Mateo Jacobs
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Appearance: Mateo stands at just six feet. He has short black hair that spikes at the back but his fringe is longer and hangs over his left eye. He has a rounded face and a strong jaw which has, surprisingly, survived countless ‘accidents’. All he has to show for his adventures is a scar that runs from underneath his right cheek to just below his jaw bone. His eyes are sea blue. He has a muscular build more attributed to athletes than weight-lifters. As his current interests lie in mechanics, music, and motorcycle racing; Mateo wears heavy black boots, close-fitting jeans, a black t-shirt, and a black leather biker’s jacket. He also wears a thick, brown leather bracelet on his right wrist and a silver dog tag around his neck. His body has countless scars, including several on his left forearm from when he had a tattoo removed (let’s just say it didn’t go as smoothly as it was supposed to).
Personality: Mateo’s a nice, out-going kind of guy who can talk to almost anyone about almost anything because he’s managed to do so much in his lifetime. The problem is that he almost seems to know too much and people tend to find him arrogant at times because of it. He’s a little headstrong because of his independence and doesn’t cope well with taking orders from people unless he respects them. Not the type to start a fight, he’ll more than happily finish it if one of his friends is in trouble. He has a bad habit of saying what he thinks sometimes, and this had lead to countless arguments between him and Lara. He’s a bit of daredevil and has a death wish. If others won’t do it then he will. He doesn’t bother him, he hasn’t died yet!
Element: Dark
History: Mateo’s the kind of guy who’s never been able to figure out what he wants in life. He was born into a well-off family but knew immediately that he would not take over his father’s financial company, passing the right on to his younger brother. He travelled often and studied anything he could, though he never settled anywhere and never completed a single course that he began. Then a year ago, Mateo met Lara when he wandered into the butcher’s shop where she worked. His varied life kept her interested in him and the two became friends. It wasn’t long before Mateo realised that his feelings for Lara run deeper than friendship. For the first time in his life, he is confronted by something that he truly wants and it terrifies him. Love is something he has yet to experience and he’s at a loss as to how he should approach it. Obviously, he has yet to make a move.
Other: Has learned to turn a blind eye to his friend’s drinking; mostly because he gets his ass kicked if he says anything about it. He’s also spent more time in hospital recovering from another one of his escapades than he can count.


Mateo
~~~~~

Beep...Beep...Beep...

"I hate that noise..."

"You should be used to it by now."

I dared to raise a heavy eyelind and saw my half-sister at my bedside. It was a surprise to see her and not Lara but I didn't say that. "Don't you have school?"

"It's nighttime Mateo."

The room was lit by a single light fastened into the ceiling and protected by a plastic sheet of pale orange. In my state of drowsiness I'd mistaken it for daylight. "So it is." I looked around and noted the depressingly grey curtain pulled across the window. "This is different."

"Mom said to put you in a cheap room. She thought it might 'scare you out of your cursed way of life'. Or something similar."

"She's not my mother. I don't care what she thinks." I pulled myself into a seating position. "Hand me that chart will you?"

She passed over my medical chart with the words, "Do you care what anyone thinks?"

I ignored her and flicked through the chart. No broken bones. No internal bleeding. Aside from a few bumps and scratches I'm just fine. Not too bad considering. "Why are you here Catherine?" The silence had gone on long enough and I knew that she didn't hold me in high enough regard to be worried.

"Why do you do it? Why do you do such stupid things? Do you realise the arguments you've caused?"

"Do you mean between our father and the whore he married when my mother died?"

She slapped me. Hard. It wasn't the first time. "She's not a whore!"

"Of course not. That's how she got pregnant with you before my Mom died."

She dumped a pile of in my lap - just missing my crotch - and stormed off. "Bastard," I heard her say as she disappeared.

I flicked through my mail unhindered. Cat and I had never gotten along and I had no interest in trying to make a relationship between us work. Graham was the new heir, Cat was the princess. As far as I was concerned, my family had no need for me and I had no need for them. My father tried to keep us in contact with healthy donations, I guess he saw it as an obligation as I was his first born. Somewhere, deep down, I think he believed I might someday amount to something he would be proud of, something that would 'make the family proud'. My only intention was to do what I wanted and if proving to be an embarassment was my prize, then so be it.

Amongst the usual trash was a small envelope with no return address. Pushing aside all warnings of letter bombs and threats like that, I opened it and pulled out the disc inside. Curious, I buzzed the attention of a nurse and had her put it on for me.

"Until then.... farewell, and good luck."

I blinked. "Well, that was different. I'll have to mention it to Lara once I get out of here." I gave the room a quick scan. " No how easily can I do this without getting caught?"