- Gabriel(le) Quinn Sinclair -
Although she had intended upon actually reading the book sheād gone and dug out of the confines of her sloppily packed suitcase, Gabriel found her mind drawn to other matters, things that completely distracted her from the words printed on the pages before her. Being left alone in the pseudo-silence of her dorm room allowed her mind to begin wandering against her will, and she found herself thinking upon matters better left forgotten. Memories bubbled to the surface, though happy, they were simple reminders of a time in her life that had long since ended with the death of her father, and all they served to do was to leave her melancholy. Even if people always said that memories were always there to comfort you when someone had departed from life, all they did for Gabriel was leave her wanting to forget, and to return to the state she had been in before recovering herself.
At least when she was like that, she didnāt have to feel sad. But at the same time; she also didnāt get to feel happy. When was the last time I even felt like that anyway? she thought, sighing a bit as she shut her red eyes. Gabrielās heart felt like it was sinking into the depths of her stomach. Honestly, she couldnāt really recall the last time she had a genuine smile upon her face, or a time in recent years where she had let out a true laugh. Not since a time before her father had been murdered. . . .
Ever since Maxwell had come and taken her in, her life had not been much beyond schooling and strict training, which always left her grandfather angered and upset with her for being a weak Halfling. āAnd for being born a girl,ā
After four years of this repeated cycle, the failed regime and attempts to rouse a burst of unknown power out of her, Maxwell had simply grown weary of dealing with her and enrolled her into Merryweather Academy. He claimed it was to temper out her unrefined abilities, but Gabriel knew better . . . but as she was, she knew better than to say anything about it. She didnāt fight it when her grandfather had told her that she was to begin acting like a boy, nor did she protest to being told that she was to live like one when she was dropped upon the entranceway to the school.
She didnāt argue with him because she knew it was just easiest to go along with it. Her grandfather was ashamed of her diluted blood, her pitiable power, and her very gender. As it were, the Sinclair line would end with herāif she married that is. And that was something Gabriel knew that Maxwell did not want to admit. The elderly Salamander didnāt want to admit to the world that his family line ended with a Halfling. The Sinclair family was of the most well known of all Salamanders. If someone mentioned Salamanders, the first clan that came to mind was her family. Of the fire wielding supernaturals, it was said that the Sinclairs were the most powerful of the lot. . . .
They were well known, very much so, and very influential. At least . . . thatās what Gabriel had always been told and had heard. Because her grandfather was ashamed of her, she had never been in the limelight, never had been left to experience any sort of experience regarding her last name, she had never once witnessed if her last name were really so special. I guess, going here Iāll find out if thatās really true or not by how people react when they hear my name and find out Iām a Salamander. she sighed, opening her eyes back up to stare at the underside of the bunk bed above her. ā. . . .geez, thatās not in very good shape, is it?ā
The coming months werenāt going to at all be easy, especially if she had a roommate . . . did she? She wasnāt sure. Maxwell had failed to even inform her of that factāonly telling his granddaughter her dorm room number. All the old man cared about was maintaining his familyās pride and name, nothing else. Gabriel knew that, she knew that he only took her in because of her carrying his blood, and he didnāt want his only living descendant wandering around the world feeble, bringing more disgrace to him.
In the manās efforts to keep his name safe and well, he had failed to expose her to their world. To put it blatantly, Gabriel was rather naĆÆve in regards to much about a lot of supernatural families. She mainly only knew of the reputation her family bore, little else. Hopefully, she didnāt step on anyoneās toes with her lack of knowledge. Gabriel did know that there were many powerful supernatural families out there, and that many of their children attended Merryweather Academy, sheād be dealing with some people she could not afford to insult or offend. In line with how she acted, she needed to make sure she was polite enough at the same time in order to maintain decent relationships with people.
When the door handle rattled a bit, rather quietly, Gabriel found herself snapped from her thoughts and she remembered where she was and her current situation. It looked like she was getting a roomie after all . . . and that she was just about to meet him, whoever he was. She needed to maintain her ruse, and pay absolute heed to her mannerisms. If nothing else, she couldnāt the truth about her gender slip out so fast.
āUhā¦hello?ā At hearing his voice, the Halfling sighed to herself and did her best to calm her nerves and her heart which had seemed to spring to life without her knowing. Tearing her eyes away from the book she had not been reading, she looked up at the door and to whom she would be living with for the coming months. Of course, she had no inclination to who he was so . . . to Gabriel, it was a new and unfamiliar face. Gabriel remained quiet when her roommate set his things next to the door, and simply stood next to the door in a rather uncomfortable silence for a moment before speaking again. āIām Adrialā¦ā he introduced himself.
Remaining silent herself for a moment, Gabriel stared at him with her crimson eyes. Adrial looked like a normal enough guy, but then, most supernaturals looked pretty much normal. She herself looked pretty average, minus her rather vivid red eyesāwhich seemed to be a family trait, as her father before her had the same eyes, and her grandfather did as well. I wonder what he is. she thought to herself, before realizing her quietness and how rude she was being by staring. Face going a bit red, Gabriel shook her head with a slight yelp, and looked back to Adrial with a worried little grin on her androgynous face. āAh, Iām sorry about that. I tend to get lost in my own head at times without meaning too.ā She apologized abashedly, laughing a tiny bit while scratching the back of her head.
Quickly, the small girl went ahead and shut the book she had not been reading and scooted herself off the bed, standing to her full, yet diminutive height. She walked over to him and held her hand out, having to shake the sleeve of her too large hoodie down from over her it while doing so. A small look of frustration overtook her features at her clothing when this happenedāthe fact that it would be a routine thing to put up with was going to take some getting used to. Gabriel sighed, knowing that all chances for a half-decent first impression were ruined for her, hopefully she still came off as a normal enough boy to Adrial anyway. . . .
She sighed quietly before putting a smile back on her face, āAh, Iām Gabriel Sinclair. And itās a pleasure to make your acquaintance Adrial, I guess weāll be roommates for the next year, huh?ā Keeping her hand held out to him she tacked on one little bit more to her introduction, āI hope that we can become friends.ā