cw: possessive and unhealthy relationship
tw: parental death relating to crime
[name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_u]Davis[/name_u] Wix (18) is the source and instigator of all the drama, being Josie’s boyfriend and nemesis of many, not just limited to [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], [name_f]Cici[/name_f] and [name_f]Minnie[/name_f]. In some senses, the development of Owen’s nature is a tragedy: he started out at school as the boy who’d always stand up to bullies and fight for the underdog, hating injustice and cruelty with a passion, something his dad - a single parent - encouraged him to take pride in. Having lost his mom when he was very young - who lost her life far too son in a failed car jacking that culminated in her being fatally shot when she resisted - [name_u]Owen[/name_u] valued the approval of his father twice as fiercely, thanks to what had been taken away from him; however only his dad really was confided in about his upset and uncertainties. Unfortunately, this protective side gradually morphed into something unhealthy, strengthened by how [name_u]Owen[/name_u] can be quite insular focused: he knows who he knows, likes who he likes, and gradually proved increasingly standoffish when it came to those outside of the circle he trusted properly.
When he met [name_u]Josie[/name_u], he was almost instantly smitten, being endeared by her kindness and speaking to her about her history of being bullied with genuine caring. However, what [name_u]Josie[/name_u] didn’t realise was [name_u]Owen[/name_u] quickly came to envy the friendship trio she belonged to, feeling [name_f]Minnie[/name_f] and [name_f]Cici[/name_f] cut into what time the couple had spared between school work and other interests and activities. It was the obvious closeness of [name_f]Minnie[/name_f] and [name_f]Cici[/name_f] that allowed [name_u]Owen[/name_u] to convince [name_u]Josie[/name_u] to remove herself from the trio. He got in her ear that [name_f]Minnie[/name_f] and [name_f]Cici[/name_f] were excluding her intentionally and were potentially going to abandon her entirely for the wider friendship group being formed, blinding [name_u]Josie[/name_u] to the fact she not only wasn’t being pushed out, but that their newer friends were just as eager to spend time with her too.
As he had a friend group of his own, [name_u]Owen[/name_u] was less phased by his terrible behaviour, merely believing [name_u]Josie[/name_u] would come to be as close with the friends he chose, and that he wouldn’t have to compete for her time and attention anymore; it never even crossing his mind how destroying her strongest bonds was selfish, thoughtless and utterly self-serving. He also considered his friends ‘intellectually superior’ to those she kept company with at the time they became involved, and talked poorly of her old circle behind her back. While his friends were never opposed to Josie’s presence or dismissive, they weren’t the sort of people she naturally gravitated towards, pushing her closer to [name_u]Owen[/name_u], who was so wrapped up in the success of victory over [name_f]Minnie[/name_f] and [name_f]Cici[/name_f] that he never noticed his girlfriend didn’t just click.
Currently [name_u]Owen[/name_u] isn’t actually aware Josie’s pregnant, something [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] instructed her sister was for the best, as she was worried he’d use it as an excuse to further bind [name_u]Josie[/name_u] to him. He’s currently preparing to study physiotherapy at university, helped by the fact he has a scholarship offer due to being a star member of his school’s boxing team, and would absolutely encourage her to move with him for attendance if he knew she’s expecting his child. Owen’s father, a man who wouldn’t approve of his behaviour, is wrapped up in his work as a dentist, being married to his job to provide for his son, and some would say he used his career to numb the pain of loss. To a degree, [name_u]Owen[/name_u] feels shame at how he isn’t as academically talented at his father, which is another bonding point he and [name_u]Josie[/name_u] came to be closer thanks to, and their recent discussions have been dominated by talk of this now college is on the horizon. No-one’s seen much of Owen’s temper, but [name_f]Clo[/name_f] and [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] are both individually nervous about this, given his behavioural pattern…