Zelda12343 - I don't think anyone likes him...I find it hard to write him with any sympathetic tendencies now!
So what has Gabriel wrapped up and given to Rosaline her family? We'll find out today.
The next day, Rosaline carried the parcel back to Angelo's house, armed with Tybalt's lousy directions and a mouthful of unladylike insults waiting for Angelo. She was dressed in her best – heels, pencil straight skirt, a tight shirt with a belt wrapped around her waist over the shirt, and her red coat over that. She carried a handbag on her left arm so that the parcel nestled safely in her right. The houses slowly changed from rundown council estates and flats, to bungalows, average sized family homes, smart middle class homes, stately manors, and then finally Rosaline stood outside a pair of gates. The wall was tall, grey and imposing. Almost like a prison cell.
Rosaline pressed on the security buzzer.
"Hello?" it buzzed back.
"This is Rosaline Oftmoro, Angelo's daughter. I want to speak to him" she snapped haughtily.
"He's not in right now. But Gabriel is. Would you like to speak to him?"
"Fine. Gabriel will be satisfactory"
The gates swung open and Rosaline made the walk up the pathway to the front door. The house loomed out from the trees. A few ugly garden gnomes squatted along the grass. Rosaline couldn't resist kicking one with the toe of her heels. She reached the door, and knocked.
A servant came to the door "Miss. Rosaline? Nice to meet you. Gabriel is in one of the back rooms"
Rosaline clutched her parcel tighter, and followed the woman into the house. As they walked, she looked around. After all, this place could have been her home. It was grand and majestic, but not like the Capulet Manor. The Capulets had had their home for generations and generations. This mansion was new and modern. Rosaline felt herself becoming curious about her father's history, as she had so enjoyed looking into the Capulet's. Looking around, there were also beautiful artworks on the wall and a couple of sculptures littered every here and there. As she followed the woman, the warm melody of a piano playing grew louder as they progressed deeper into the house.
"He's in here. I'd be careful, he's busy playing. When you interrupt him, he will be in a foul mood"
"I don't care" snipped Rosaline. She stepped into the room, and looked at her half-brother. He was bent over the piano, slowly and methodically pressing on beautiful ivory white keys. His blond hair fell over his face as he bent to play. As Rosaline listened, she realised that he was very, very good. He looked lost in the music and at peace with himself.
"Ahem"
Gabriel stopped playing, and turned "Oh, it's you. I was hoping you were a famous conductor ready to whisk me out of here and catapult me into the dizzying heights of fame"
"No time for any of your fantasies" Rosaline snapped. She held out the parcel "You can have this back. My mum doesn't want a reminder of the worst day of her life"
Gabriel blinked "Really? Well, it's not my problem. Angelo gave it to me and told me to give it to you. I played no part in this. I have no use for it. I was just the go between. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to rehearse"
He turned, and began to play the instrument again. Rosaline reached over, and grabbed his music sheet.
"Hey!" protested Gabriel.
"That's enough. What does Angelo want?"
"How should I know?" Gabriel answered. He made a grab for his music sheet, but Rosaline held it high above his head.
"I want answers!" insisted Rosaline "What does he want?"
"I don't know! It's not like he's a caring father or anything" snapped Gabriel.
"You can say that again" scoffed Rosaline.
"I think he hates me" added Gabriel. At first he seemed nervous, but then he suddenly pleased to have someone to listen to his complaints "I think he really hates me"
"Why? He stuck around for you" scorned Rosaline.
"He didn't have a choice. My mum walked out, leaving me here. She didn't take me with her. I wish she had"
"Why? He left my mum for her"
Gabriel looked sheepish "It was my fault. I wasn't an easy kid. Has Angelo told you about me?"
"No. Tybalt's told me some stuff about you"
"What did he say?" demanded Gabriel, leaning forwards and suddenly looking interested.
"He said you have a horrible high-pitched voice and that everyone hated you, no one would want to meet you, and you had a fight with Benvolio Montague and he had to help you out"
Gabriel looked stunned and hurt "I don't have a horrible high-pitched voice – I have a tenor vocal range! Not everyone hates me. My best friend is Juno Nightingale, and Rose Spearings has a crush on me even though she's going out with Benvolio Montague. I had an argument with him over her. And then Tybalt happened to barge in and decide to yell at Benvolio, just because he felt like it"
"Well then!" said Rosaline "Whatever. Why did your mum walk out, after she went through all the trouble of being a home-wrecker?"
Gabriel sighed, glanced away from her back to his piano, drumming his black finger nails against the white keys "It's because Angelo said she was raising me to me a sissy"
"Really?" Rosaline raised an eyebrow.
"Yes! I don't know if you know this, but since I was three, I have been attending ballet class. And I wish to audition at the La Scala Ballet Company in Milan when I'm eighteen. I also play piano, guitar, cello, violin and I can sing very well. I'm taking drama this year and I'm the best in the class, if I may say so myself. That's why he hates me. My mum said I should be allowed to do whatever I wanted; Angelo said I was turning into a sissy. They argued, and argued, and she walked out. I don't get where the logics were in there, but at the end of the day, it was my fault. All my fault. And since then, he's hated me because I'm so stubborn and won't do what he says. But," Gabriel finished, and his delicate tone harden "he deserves it, I say"
"Oh. I see" murmured Rosaline.
"What do you say?" asked Gabriel, glancing up at through his veil of blond hair "Did I forget to mention how he hates that I simply adore clothes and shoes, and fashion, and I watch Gossip Boy religiously?"
Rosaline gave a small smile "I love Gossip Boy. It's my guilty pleasure"
Gabriel beamed "Did you see the episode where..."
"I've seen them all!" cried Rosaline "I love all the clothes they wear. They look so amazing. I'd love to be a rich glamorous socialite like that. I mean, sometimes, it makes me think of people like Marilyn Monroe, and-"
"She's my idol!" gasped Gabriel, clasping his hands together in an innocent childlike fashion "I love her so much. I have all her films that I could get my hands on. And Audrey Hepburn is beautiful. I try to copy her style sometimes, that meek gamine look. I like Marlene Dietrich's work as well, and sometimes I copy her look. It's easier to do when you're a guy. I have their films as well. My favourite is, obviously, Breakfast At Tiffany's"
"That's my favourite too. Me and Livia watch it all the time. I'd love to go to New York. Tibby said he'd take me sometime"
"I've been. It's amazing" Gabriel leant on the piano, and then jumped as it made a sound "My favourite movie with Marilyn Monroe is The Seven Year Itch, where she wears the infamous white dress and plays Chopsticks on the piano. I can play that. Can you?"
"No. I can play The Montagues Are Losers, as composed by Tybalt when we were five"
Gabriel giggled, and started to play a few lines of a song "My favourite film ever, though, is The Piano. It's beautiful. But my favourite thing to actually play is this song, composed by a woman who had three husbands. They say she killed them all to get all their money and become rich. Would you like me to play it?"
"Yes, yes. Show me"
Gabriel moved up on the piano stool, and patted it for her to sit down. Rosaline did, and Gabriel flipped his music sheets over. He began to play. Rosaline applauded him as he went.
"That's amazing how you can learn all that"
"It's no biggie. It's my most favourite thing to do in all the world" Gabriel smiled. A light seemed have lit up within him. Rosaline looked on curiously, and Gabriel continued "Well, after dancing of course. I just love music and dance. I think that in this world of ugliness, conflicted with poverty, child and animal cruelty that is too tied in with the depressing subjects such as the economy and politics, it is a light. A wondrous, illuminating light"
"What's all this then?" asked a gruff voice. The siblings turned around to see their father glaring disapprovingly in the doorway.