in the same boat

[Deleted]

These balls were becoming more and more exhausting. All the people, the lights, the music, the dancing — and as much as she loved her sister Kate, the way she hovered over her, judged anyone who even glanced her way was enough to make Edwina feel suffocated. She'd love to blame it on the ever-tight corset hugging her body, but she knew that wasn't it.

When a song ended and her sister caught her glance, she quickly insisted she needed to excuse herself to use the lavatory. She didn't. She just needed some air, so as she turned a corner, she bolted and found herself out on a balcony. She closed her eyes. She breathed in the fresh and cool night's air. She didn't care if anyone saw her. She just didn't want her sister to.

She leaned against the balcony's railing. She looked down briefly to see if anyone might be under it or nearby. When it was clear, she took another breath. She looked up at the stars and the bright, almost full moon. It made her miss her home in India. But, more than that, it made her miss her father. She knew he wouldn't be welcome at an event like this, being lower class, but with him long go, she could imagine anything. She wondered what he might think of their life now. Would he be proud of her? Would he be doing what Kate was doing for her now? Or would he rather she find another dream, one that was all her own? She'd never know now.

A tear started streaming down her cheek and she quickly shook off. Now wasn't the time for that. It couldn't be. She'd eventually have to go back to the ball and put on a smile and make sure her sister approved of her every move. She should probably do that now, so she spun around on her heel, letting go of the railing and coming to a sudden halt when she spotted another.

"Please tell me you will not tell my sister I was out here without her."

---

Gabriella Verdugo

★fai

in the same boat

gabi & edwin

notes:

aklsjka hope this is okay!!

[Gabriella Verdugo]

It was times like this when Gabi felt like she was truly alone, literally and metamorphically speaking. She truly didn’t understand why her mother had brought her here, into no man’s land, because she knew that it was only a matter of time before her father or one of his associates somehow managed to find her. And then what? She would be shipped back to Spain like cattle practically. The thought of it just made her shudder. But that Duchess Cunningham, Eleanor, had called her thus, so it wasn’t like she could refuse the offer. Even if she knew near-to-nothing about British social season customs.

She’d been out on the railing for quite a bit of time now, listening lazily to the music outside, swaying along silently. She hummed gently, for she knew the tune that come on next, from her mother’s favorite selection. She smiled softly, memories of happy times coming back to her as it continued. A soothing piece at that, she was never one to listen to the longer, more jumpier, rowdier pieces. They disrupted her, so to speak. Though she never was one for normalcy. Maybe that’s why she let her mother uproot her typical life in Madrid for…this. This sea of whirlwind and social customs and fancy breath-constricting dresses.

If her mother was here right now, she would’ve told her to toughen up. She always did. But look where that got her? Gabi shook her head sadly as she stared up at the twinkling stars, wondering if maybe somehow, she was raised Catholic, that her mother was watching her from up above. With a sad shake of her head, she returned her gaze back to normal, seeing a young biracial woman a short distance away. She raised an eyebrow in concern when she heard the lady’s request. She couldn’t possibly understand why anyone would stray away from their sister, though she could tell that this woman had much better of an idea as to how to behave in this strange new world than she did.

”Miss, I couldn’t spot your sister in a sea of a thousand cattle if I ever saw one.” She chuckled mischeviously, winking.

”Your secret’s safe with me. Though….I must ask…why are you out here right now? Don’t mean to be a gossip or anything, but I’d think that being in that crowd of people-“ She gestured with a crimson-manicured hand to the mass of men and women down below.


”Would be the best selection right now to get away from someone if you so chose. Unless, of course, you’re me.” She playfully eye-rolled, her accent extremely obvious in that single moment.

---

@edwina

★fai

in the same boat

gabi & edwin

notes:

Sorry for this being so short! I hate starters, I swear to god…