#tresident

Wesley Emiliano Guzman is thirty-three years old and a game store owner in Greensville.

It was surrounded by love that Wesley Emiliano Guzman was born in the wee hours on a chilly November morning. With two loving mothers and a (tough) loving sister, he was raised to treat others with kindness and respect, even if they themselves lacked in those departments. He’d always been a loner by nature, found peace in solitude and never felt quite understood by anyone. Growing up, Wesley discovered himself a passion for video games. He couldn’t get enough of them, from Super Mario Bros to the Elder Scrolls series, there wasn’t one game he didn’t at least appreciate in some aspect. His new passion, though, isolated him even further than he’d previously been. But it wasn’t as difficult to bear as it previously was; he kept himself occupied. His newest obsession led Guzman, then aged 15, to apply at a local video game store, 1-UP Games. Its owner, Edward Price, even if he thought Wesley was a bit young, took a liking to the boy and hired him part time. He mostly made him work on the facing, which kept him busy and, most important of all, surrounded by like-minded people. At work, he was able to befriend kids his age who liked games like he did, and therefore not feel so lonely anymore. But his search for his ‘tribe’, out of work hours, brought him online. More specifically, to a video game forum. There, he met Magalie L’Écuyer on June 6th 2002. In his day-to-day life, girls barely spared him a look. But Magalie? She was special, and he was instantly smitten. He didn’t know where she lived or what she looked like, but a month to the day following their first meeting, Wesley asked her to be his girlfriend. Ever the romantic, he was convinced he’d found the love of his life, so when Maggie explicitly told him not to divulge any information about their budding romance to his family, he obeyed, as to not offend her. They talked every day, through the forum or MSN Messenger. Wesley managed to keep his relationship a secret to his mothers, Debra and Lorena, and his older sister, Analee, for a total of seven months. The moment it broke out, his mothers actively opposed to it, demanded he block her online and move on. But it didn’t end this way. When he didn’t listen, they took away his computer, first. Then his console. But Maggie had dug her claws deep into him, and used Wesley’s adoration for her to turn him against his family. The tension was palpable in the house, and going through puberty only worsened his snappy moods. They didn’t want him to be happy, he believed. Why else would they keep him from his beautiful Magalie? On his 17th birthday, Debra and Lorena extended an olive branch and got their son a cellphone, but all it did was further drive him into Maggie’s arms. He was practically glued to the thing, texting his older Canadian girlfriend almost every moment of every day. His grades began to decline, and his boss noticed him slacking at work with the new duties he’d been given. As time went by, Maggie only got more needy, possessive. She coerced him into quitting his job, which he did, thinking it was his own decision. Shortly after, she talked him into moving to Montreal to be with her. And on June 15th 2004, Wesley packed his things and disappeared into the night, driving 13 hours to be with his lady love. Things were all sunshine and rainbows at first, or so, Wesley thought. Slowly but surely, Magalie made it so Wesley was purely and utterly alone, left with only her. He worked for her father on her terms, cut contact with his family, claiming that they could deport him back to North Carolina. Without a permanent residency card, Wesley was unable to pursue any studies legally. And even when he obtained his PR card and signed up to the Lasalle Cégep in Computer Science Technology, Magalie suddenly developed some disorder that gave her panic attacks, conveniently when Wesley had to go out with friends he’d made in his program. He was always a bit naive, but downright blind when it came to her. He simply refused to believe she was manipulating him, and so, cut ties with the few friends he’d made at college who tried to tell him so. Wes fell into a deep depression and dropped out; nothing made him happy anymore. One last incident in 2010 saw Wesley, then aged 24, finally leave Magalie for good, after 8 years of dating and 6 of cohabitation. That fateful night, he drove all the way to Greensville and never looked back. He had no idea what became of his family and tried his luck with his sister’s old phone number, which, to his surprise, she picked up. Analee took him in, not without a yelling match, but she was never the coddling type and so, she pushed him to get out there and find a job to get over Magalie. Coincidentally, 1-UP Games was hiring, and the owner, now 62, instantly recognized and hired him. He should’ve been retired by that time, but the business was failing so he’d taken up extra hours. Edward never married or had kids that could take over, so it was all on him. It became clear to Wesley pretty early on, now that he wasn’t 15 and could have an actual adult relationship with the man, just how lonely he was. It reminded him of himself. Therefore, he made it a point to maintain a relationship outside of work with Edward, being a loner himself, and it blossomed into something he could’ve never imagined. Edward became an honorary member of the Guzman clan. He spent the holidays with them and attended every family dinner from there on out. Wesley either saw or talked to Ed every single day. It’s not like it was going out of his way either, they had common interests after all, and a natural chemistry. Edward knew from the moment he came back that he wanted Wesley to carry on the store’s legacy when he passed, that he wanted to gift him its ownership. But that decision was forced on him when, while restocking, he had a fall and injured his back. Wesley, who was assistant manager then and had been taught all the ropes, was forced to manage the store on his own for several months. Ed saw it as some sort of test, and Wes passed with flying colors. And so, when he turned 29, Edward officially transferred the business to him as a birthday gift. It’s been 5 years, now, and Wesley is just as happy (if not more) as he’d been when he came back to Greensville in 2004. 1-UP Games is his pride and joy, but more importantly, Edward’s legacy. He makes sure to treat it and it’s employees with the utmost care. He’s thought of going back to college here and there, but has no regrets as to where life has taken him. He’s with his family, and sometimes family means two moms and one black grandpa.

FACE CLAIM: Penn Badgley STATUS: TAKEN RELATIONSHIPS:

Clayton 'Clay' Beretta ► Resident ► 22 ► Zach Gilford ►OC

I want to fly, can you take me far away?  Give me a star to reach for, tell me what it takes and I’ll go so high my feet won’t touch the ground.  I stitch my wings and pull these strings.  I bought these dreams that all fall down.

Has no idea of the supernatural forces at work in the town

After being forced to drop out of LSU as he could no longer afford it without the scholarship, he picked up the job of football coach at Maddox High after the old coach retired

Despite having been friendly with the entire town when he grew up, he's been awkward around everyone since coming back about a year ago, never really thinking he'd be back in Maddox

Clayton was the kid that was supposed to make it out of Maddox.  He was the kid that parents would talk about from the sidelines, saying how he was going to be successful in whatever he did, no matter what is was. But that was just how small towns worked, in each year, each graduating class there was that one kid that was expected to make it big, that the success of the entire class was based on.  If you just had that one kid that did good, then the entire class would.  It was a lot of pressure, obviously. But Clayton never minded it.  Honestly, it just made him better, the pressure pumping him up rather than making him nervous, especially on the field.  While football was never a huge sport in Maddox, when the Cougars won, the entire town celebrated, and with Clayton as the first string fullback, despite his small stature, they won often.

While this was no Texas and it wasn’t as if football players were Gods, Clayton was pretty popular, as most athletes were, but also because he was generally a sweet, goofy, guy, though he was definitely much quieter than a lot of the other rambunctious jocks.  His parents were sweet people and had most definitely raised him right.  When you talked, he listened.  If you needed a friend to come to, he was your guy. He was dependable and always there when you needed him.

But his childhood growing up was football football football, nothing else. His parents had seen his talent, and his father, a southern man born and bred, was desperate to have something in common with his son that was so different from him so he pushed the topic.  It was all they talked about, at dinner, on the drive from and to school or church, every part of the day.  They talked about how he could become better or faster or stronger.  They talked about plays and positions.  Nothing else. No ‘how was your day’ or ‘did you do well on that test’.  For Clayton Beretta, football was all there was.  It was his ticket to a nice school, maybe, if he was lucky even to the pros.  In short, it was his ticket out of Maddox.  

But unfortunately for Clayton, after being recruited by LSU, which was considered to be in the top ten college football teams (number nine, to be exact), and playing for them for two years…Disaster struck.  Well, disaster to a football player.  11 seconds left in the game, 15 yards from the opposing team’s goal line and a game that would decide whether the LSU Tigers would be going to the playoffs.  The ball was snapped by the quarter back, Clayton caught it with ease and was literally feet away from a touchdown when the opposing team’s heavy hitter at 320 pounds absolutely obliterated him.  His team mate had been unable to block the giant and Clayton went down…Hard.  In the tangle of limbs, Clayton not only tore his ACL, but he damaged his PCL and MCL as well, giving him what is more commonly known as a ‘blown out knee’. They tried surgery, they tried physical therapy, but there was just way to avoid the unavoidable: Clayton’s short lived football career was over.

With his scholarships gone what else was there to do except come back to Maddox, tail between his legs?  The only way it could get worse was by the fact that his parents had decided to retire and move to Florida, not only to be closer to him in Louisiana but because they too wanted to get out of Maddox.  On top of that, they had moved Mrs. Beretta’s mother into the house as it was a one floor house and they thought it would be much easier on the old woman.  So it was up to Clayton, he either had to get a good enough of a job to afford his own place, or…Or he got to live with his grandma.  Well, he got a job, but definitely not one that could let him pay off medical bills, loans, and rent. Being the high school football coach really didn’t pay that well.

Clayton, or Clay as he prefers to be called, is a really good guy.  He’s genuine in whatever he does, believes in old fashioned manners.  He works hard and really believes in the idea that if you put your mind to it you can do it.  But ever since he blew out his knee, unable to play football, he’s seemed a bit lost, unsure exactly who he is without the game.  He’s even more shy then he was in high school, and generally doesn’t like hanging around town, feeling as if everyone thinks of his as a failure or pities him, saying ‘that’s the boy that could’ve made it big.’  If he’s not on the football field training the team, or in his office reviewing game tapes, he can usually be found in the park maybe strumming on his guitar or reading.

Relationships:

Had a crush on Jo Groves during high school, but now she's one of the only people he grew up with that he would consider one of his friends now.  It's weird though, seeing her married and with kids, really punching him in the face with the fact that they're all growing up.

Used to be friends with Thai Chase, who was also on the football team, but where as Clay used to love his loud and out there personality, he shies away from it now.

Friendly with Addison Carmichael.  He feels much more comfortable around the newcomer than a lot of the people he grew up with.

Was always interested by Asami Kashima.  During high school, she always seemed above it all, very sophisticated, though Clay has never really spoken to her in fear he'll just sound like a dumb jock.

Was on the football team with Smith Black, and honestly, he never really liked him, the boy was just always so cocky and arrogant.  Though, Clay can see after he stopped being the high school football star, he sorta fell off a wagon of sorts, and Clay, knowing the feeling, feels bad for him.

Is glad to see that Caleb Summers is still in town, having been on the football team with him for a year as well as coaching him for a bit, he knows the kid has a really pure heart, something that is, what is seems to be at least, surprisingly hard to come by in Maddox.

Gifs: (x)