Kendrick Hawkins

Full name: Kendrick Hawkins

Age: 21 years

Nicknames: Ken (used only by his best friend), Hawkins (in the hockey rink and on the hockey team).

Appearance

1.91 m tall. Athletic body, defined by hockey training and underground fights.
Broad shoulders, arms covered in black and gray tattoos. Dark brown hair, always messy as if it had never willingly seen a comb.
Intense, constantly tired, grey-green eyes. A defined jawline and stubble.
Some discreet scars on his hands, eyebrow, and ribs. He usually wears dark jeans, boots, black t-shirts, leather jackets, and baggy sweatshirts.
*He wears a silver ring on his index finger and an expensive watch, a gift from his father that he never wanted.

Course

Business Administration.

He hates practically all his classes. He only enrolled because his family insisted he get a degree. He never intends to practice the profession and barely hides it.

Sport

• Forward on the university hockey team.
  One of the most aggressive players in the league. He constantly accumulates punishments for excessive violence.

Double life

When not training:

participates in underground fights; bets large sums of money;
He attends illegal races organized by his best friend; he is considered virtually unbeatable in the ring.

While Kendrick dominates the fights, his best friend dominates the tracks.

Explosive. Impulsive.
Extremely stubborn. Sarcastic.
Arrogant. Competitive.
Too brave. Intelligent, though he pretends not to be.
*Observer.

• Very little patience.
  Does not accept orders. Does not show feelings.
  Hates depending on anyone. Lives on the edge.

Habits

He smokes when he's angry. He drinks much more than he admits.
He spins a lighter between his fingers when he's thinking about bad things. He sleeps very little.
He trains even when injured. He lives with injured knuckles.
*Listens to rock and metal at maximum volume while driving.

Relationships

He avoids anything that resembles commitment.

• He never repeats dates for very long.
  He never introduces any girls to his friends. He never takes anyone to his own room.
  Always uses a guest room when bringing someone home. Doesn't sleep with anyone.
  Leaves before breakfast or insists that the other person leave. Hates public displays of affection.
  *He considers exclusivity a prison.

His room

His room is practically forbidden territory.

Not even employees enter without authorization.

The only person who can enter without knocking is his best friend, the protagonist's brother.

Anyone else who crosses that door immediately loses his trust.

Likes

• Hockey.
  Motorcycles. Sports cars.
  Illegal races. Fights.
  Whiskey. Cigarettes.
  Adrenaline. Loud music.
  Early mornings. Betting.

Disappointments

Questions about your family. Persistent people.
*Dramatic people.

• Rules.
  Poorly told lies. Compromises.
  Therapy (although I'd probably need about twenty sessions just for the first layer of problems). Feeling like I'm losing control.

Fears (that I would never admit)

To create bonds. To fall in love.
Being abandoned again. Discovering that you look more like your father than you'd like.
Losing your best friend.

History

Kendrick grew up in an extremely wealthy but completely dysfunctional family. His father was cold, controlling, and believed that violence was an acceptable way to raise a son and wife. His mother spent most of her time numb with medication or traveling to escape her own reality, until she couldn't take it anymore and killed herself in front of her son.

From adolescence, Kendrick learned that showing any emotion was a sign of weakness. He found in hockey an outlet for his anger and, later, in underground fighting, a place where he could turn pain into money.

It was at university that she met the protagonist's brother. The two quickly realized that they functioned almost as complementary opposites: while one lived for the speed of racing, the other lived for the impact of punches. The friendship became practically a brotherhood.

Behind the reputation of being a womanizer, a troublemaker, and irresponsible, there is someone who never learned to trust people. He keeps everyone at a distance because he believes that any relationship ends in disappointment.

Deep down, Kendrick doesn't run from love because he doesn't believe in it. He runs because he believes that if someone gets close enough to truly know him, they'll inevitably leave. So he prefers to be the fool who leaves first. That's less work for his ego… and more work for the therapist he'd never even bother to meet.

Kendrick never believed in love. He spent his life avoiding commitment, refusing exclusivity, and keeping everyone at a safe distance. He avoids any kind of emotional bond and runs from commitments. He doesn't fall in love easily and takes a long time to trust someone. When he starts to develop feelings, his first reaction is to deny them and distance himself, believing that keeping his distance is safer. It takes him a long time to admit what he feels, both to himself and to the other person. However, when he finally loves someone, he loves intensely, absolutely, and almost obsessively. He becomes extremely protective, possessive, and territorial, not hiding his jealousy when he feels someone is overstepping boundaries. He's not ashamed to make it clear that she's his and makes sure everyone knows it.
He remains arrogant, provocative, impulsive, and short-tempered, but the person he loves becomes his priority above all else. He observes every detail, memorizes her habits, notices mood swings before she even says a word, and knows her expressions, quirks, and silences better than anyone else.
It's naturally physical. He's always looking for a reason to touch her: a hand on her waist, fingers intertwined, a kiss on her forehead, an arm around her shoulders, or the constant need to keep her close. Sleeping in each other's arms, something he used to hate, becomes a habit he won't give up.
Although he teases, provokes, and loves to irritate her, he is also completely devoted. He's the type who would cross the world, confront anyone, and risk his own life without hesitation to protect her; he would never let anyone hurt her.
Kendrick never begs for attention. He simply earns it every day. He is extremely loyal, and once he gives his heart to someone, there's no room for anyone else. For him, love means choosing the same woman every day, without regrets and without the possibility of going back.

Jayden Hawthorne Blackwood

Age: 21 years

Appearance

1.89 m. Athletic and strong build.
Light brown, slightly wavy hair. Grayish-blue eyes.
Easy and extremely beautiful smile. Tanned skin.
Some discreet tattoos. She usually wears expensive casual clothes, but without showing off.

Unlike Kendrick, who is intimidating just by existing, Jayden seems like the kind of guy anyone would have the courage to ask for directions on the street.

—

Course

Marketing.

He really likes the area and takes his classes seriously… when he’s not sleeping in after returning at four in the morning from an illegal race. University life appreciates that kind of consistency.

—

Sport

Captain of the university hockey team. Considered one of the best players in the league.
*Excellent strategist.

• Natural leader.
  Always protects his teammates during matches. While Kendrick solves everything with force, Jayden solves it with his head. Illegal racing His greatest passion. He doesn't race just for the money. He races because he loves speed. He's known for never losing his cool during a race, even in absurdly dangerous situations. He's the most respected driver on that underground circuit. Personality Extroverted.
  Charismatic. Funny.
  Playful. Confident.
  Intelligent. Protective.
  Loyal. Patient.
  Sociable. Charming.
  Competitive. Optimistic.
  A bit irresponsible when it comes to adrenaline. He's the type of person who makes jokes even in tense moments, not because he doesn't care, but because that's his way of lightening the mood. Habits: He's always smiling.
  Hugs people without realizing it. Makes jokes at completely inappropriate times.
  He's always chewing gum. He loves driving aimlessly.
  *Listens to music at full volume.
• Always provokes Kendrick just to annoy him.

—

Tastes

Racing. Hockey.
Cars. Trips.
Beach. Barbecues.
Parties. Music.
Coffee. Collecting sports cars.

Disappointments

Fake people. Cowards.
*Seeing Kendrick get hurt.

• Lies involving his family.
  Don't mess with your sister. Injustices.

—

Fears

Losing her sister. Not being able to protect her.
Reliving the night she lost her parents. Let the past return to destroy them.

—

History

Jayden was only nine years old when his parents were killed during a robbery that spiraled completely out of control.

Since then, he and his sister have lived under the care of their maternal aunt, one of the biggest businesswomen in the fashion world. Owner of an international luxury brand, she took on the responsibility of raising them, providing comfort, security, and every possible opportunity.

Money never erased the absence of parents.

Jayden grew up trying to be strong for his sister. As she became increasingly withdrawn, he learned to hide his own pain behind smiles, jokes, and a lighthearted personality.

Very few people know how much that night still haunts him.

However, there is a secret that nobody knows.

Not even Kendrick.

Not even any other friend.

Jayden's sister was present during the robbery.

She watched her parents die before her eyes.

Jayden believes she was too young to remember anything. He does everything he can to protect her from a past he imagines to be just a distant shadow.

He is completely mistaken.

—

Relationship with Kendrick

The two met at university during a hockey practice.

They became best friends almost immediately.

Jayden is practically the conscience that Kendrick ignores.

Kendrick is the chaos that Jayden insists on following.

They fight like brothers, constantly tease each other, and would never admit it out loud, but one would give their life for the other without a second thought.

Where one is, the other is hardly far away.