located in 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒃𝒐𝒘 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎 , at the 𝚝𝚘𝚢 𝚍𝚛𝚒𝚟𝚎 & 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚊 .
it’s not like everything was brand new to her , but at the same time it felt like it was . she went to multiple charity galas ; her parents were always at the top of the donors , father always making sure their donations are out to the public to show how thoughtful he his family is . but it was different this time - she wasn’t surrounded by her parents , mostly passing the faces she didn’t know of and she could only remember the gasps and glued eyes when she showed up with her date ( not something she considered a big of a deal anyways ) . nessa realizes - she looks like a scared deer in the middle of the road when flashed with car lights and she’s not the best drinker ; not really a drinker at all , yet here she is , gulping on another champagne glass and putting her entire hope that it’d help her relieve stress . “ i can feel you staring , you’re almost drilling a hole at the back of my head , ” it’s a lighthearted joke but she makes sure she laughs , a friendly smile plastered all over her face in hopes of hiding her anxiety . “ are you having fun ? ” @nepofmstarters
"Can you blame me for staring?” Gabriela asks with an all-too-pleased smile. “The woman of the moment herself, Nessa Narvaez. It’s a pleasure to run into you again — I was still gathering the courage to say hi.” The evening had gone surprisingly well for Gabriela — there was the ever-present fear that she would run into her ex, but he hadn’t shown his face and all was as pleasant as could be. At least for now. “I am having fun, shockingly enough. There’s an overarching sense of Christmas spirit that I just adore. I’m still undecided as to the amount of my donation — but I’m feeling quite generous tonight. Are you having fun?”
stepping outside to light her cigarette, as if she hasn’t already been smoking for most of the evening, she takes a moment to enjoy in the rather cold breeze that seems to sink its teeth deep into her supple skin. she can’t help it. she’s grown used to it. a forgotten jacket or two can do that to a girl. “i’m not much of a stargazer anyway. don’t really have the time for it,” she says with a dismissive wave of her hand as she flicks the ash off her cigarette. “melancholic hm, well what makes it that way?” she would beg to differ, but she decides to digress, waiting for a response instead. “baby doll, i don’t think that i’m the sort of company you usually keep ──── but sure. why are you out here? and would you like a cigarette? or a vape, even a blunt maybe. i keep all sorts of things in my pockets.”
“No? What keeps you so busy?” Gabriela asks, her gaze following the trail of the stranger’s ashes. “It’s the first time I’ve been out to a public function by myself in quite some time. It’s simply strange to be alone. I suppose I’ll get used to it. I’m only out here because I needed a breather; it became a little overwhelming inside. And I rather think the most interesting of friendships begin unexpectedly.” At the offer of a myriad of substances, she pauses — she thinks about it, even if she won’t admit it — and then she shakes her head. The temptation hits deep, but she will resist. “I don’t smoke. Thank you, though.”
even for someone who genuinely enjoys being around people , sometimes rocky feels the need to take some time away when it starts to get a little overwhelming . after losing track of the friends they have arrived with earlier , they head towards the terrace for a smoke — rocky’s attempt to light the cigarette comes to a stop when they take notice of another presence , not wanting to invade the stranger’s personal space now that she’s here too . “ holy shit , you’re actually right , ” rocky agrees , looking up to the sky before turning her head towards the woman . “ i think we’re all entitled to say what’s on our mind so it’s okay , don’t be sorry . ” rocky gives her a reassuring smile . “ and sure , i can keep you company for as long as you want . i’m rocky by the way . what’s your name , miss starlight ? ”
Gabriela gives the other a gentle smile when they validate her small musing; it’s a small kindness that she appreciates deeply. “Rocky, it’s a delight,” she says, and it’s more than a mere pleasantry — there is a delight she finds in small, intimate conversations with interesting people. “My name is Gabriela — ” She is about to give her complete name, or at least what used to be her complete name, her ex-husband’s surname attached so naturally to hers. She has to stop herself, and so she pretends that is the end of her sentence, goes on to fill the silence instead. “My entire life was recently upheaved and I’m trying to find my footing again. I thought going to a party would be a good start, but that turned out to be a rather terrible idea. I guess it isn’t all that bad. I do get the pleasure of meeting you.”
there was no such thing as restless parties , one more night during the week he chose to be surrounded by people he'd have met once or twice but barely knew their names . still, it was the kind of place he wanted to be. small gatherings would make him feel … exposed . as he stole his way into the terrace, he found the brunnete standing within solitude too . a champagne bottle tied to his hand , even though he was more of a red wine guy . dark orbs remained pinned upon the giddy darkness that fell upon the city at night . “ sure . ” but the pleasure of his company came with a small price . “ what brought you here then ? ”
“The host is a good friend of mine. I never come to these things, but I was given a courtesy invitation and I thought a change of pace might suit me,” leaves Gabriela’s lips, and it’s the truth. She’s here out of pure hope for — something. Anything. She discerns the stranger before her with a curious but gentle gaze. “Or do you mean here?” she asks, looking to the small, open space that they both occupied. “In that case, it was a little too much inside. What are you doing here, if I may ask? I don’t mean to be presumptive, but you look like someone who would enjoy himself at a party like this.”
So perhaps attending a party so soon after her divorce was not the best of ideas. It was a strange thing not to be by her husband’s — ex-husband’s — side. Whenever there is a lull, her gaze defaults to searching the room, searching for that familiar figure she could always return to, before the truth of the matter returns to her. Gabriela is not the type to feel lonely in a crowded room, but tonight she does. And so she escapes to the terrace, giving herself room to breathe. The sights and sounds of New York City lie before her, and yet she looks to the sky instead. Her momentary peace is soon disturbed, but she doesn’t mind all too much when another steps into the space that was not hers to begin with anyway. “There are no stars in the sky anymore,” she says, “Humanity has seized the twinkling lights and let our cities shine in their stead.” Gabriela looks at the other, a small smile gracing her features at the sight of their presence. “Forgive the pretentiousness. It’s a melancholy sort of evening, and this party isn’t exactly... the type of place I would usually find myself in. Would you mind keeping me company for a little while?”
Gabriela’s smile is never anything less than perfectly warm and welcoming when she sees Naiyana. Inside, of course, the hatred simmers slowly and viciously — Naiyana had been the one to catalyze the downfall of her perfect marriage: she had been the one to introduce her ex-husband and the girl that replaced Gabriela. And so it falls incumbent upon Gabriela to destroy her. Something the woman had learned early on was that one needed to know someone in order to be able to know what will hurt them the most, in order to know what foundations to lay wreckage to in order to destroy them wholly. And though they have been somewhat friends for some time now, Gabriela has been working her way deeper into Naiyana’s life — all in order to gain access to those weak points.
Today’s tête-à-tête takes place in one of her favorite places, a quaint little vegan restaurant by the name of Eleven Madison Park, and Gabriela as abovementioned smiles graciously when she sees Naiyana arrive, standing from her seat to greet the woman with a kiss to the cheek. “I apologize that I’m once again taking time from your busy schedule,” she says, hand touching the other’s arm gently, before guiding her to sit and taking her own seat too. “But it gets lonely, as I’m sure you can surmise. It turns out you split your friends in a divorce, too, and I’ve always been able to count on you. Enough of my dramatics, though. How are you? And don’t just tell me you’re good, I want to know everything.”
kate valdez. she/her. cis woman. ›spotted at the met steps , gabriela gatmaitan , most likely listening to me and my husband by mitski with their airpods pro . the twenty-six year old gained quite a reputation , known to be -puppeteering yet +mesmerizing to anyone who knows them . you'll easily spot them when you hear about the gentle wash of seafoam as the sea sleeps into the shore ; the illuminating iridescence of pearls reflecting the moonlight ; the delicate and intricate threads of elaborate lacework manipulated into being by careful hands , followed by their delina by parfums de marly . latest nepoupdates article talks about how gabriela's billionaire husband cheated on her and impregnated his secretary, leading to divorce proceedings that became a national spectacle , but i guess any reputation is good reputation .
There are many names that she has been called through her short lifetime, but there is one phrase that captures all of them succinctly: sugar baby.
Gabriela Gatmaitan was born into nothing. Her parents were nameless and aimless and unimportant; the stars had written the same fate for the young child. And yet she dared to dream of more — she dared to dream to reach for these imposing stars, she dared to dream to crush them in her hands, and she dared to dream to scintillate in their place. There were two assets she was born with that would allow her to usurp the stars: one, she is beautiful and charming and many are quick to acquiesce to her wishes and forgive her for any and all sins; two, she is cutthroat and ambitious — she will not stop at mere dreams, she will forge the world she desires from strings she has woven and manipulated with her own hands.
The first step is this: she brings value to herself and weaves her way into the spaces that the affluent are wont to frequent. The public schools of Boston are well-funded and she dedicates her entire self to a curriculum vitae holistic and worthy of applause; she applies for scholarship to a school prestigious and far above her means. She may have begun jagged at the edges, but soon enough she is polished to the pre-molded image of perfection, taking even then her rightful throne by the side of those in power, exchanging her entire being for lavish, beautiful adornments. When the time comes to choose her higher education, she chooses nothing but the best: she is destined for Harvard.
The second step is this: there is diminishing marginal returns in overperforming in one’s education. Instead, she spends her time curating the perfect connections. Friends of friends. Family friends of friends. She maneuvers through these spaces as though she was born into them, and across the room her eyes meet his desirous gaze. It is at that moment that she finds her life’s purpose. There is, even for Gabriela, a limit to her ambitions: she does not think it is in her place to accomplish the domination of the world. Instead, she sidles herself by the side of he who had full capacity to do so, and engaged all that she has in order to endear this man to her until he succumbs mind, body, and soul to her will and desire.
The third step is this: when he asks her to marry him, she says yes. She constructs the perfect self for this man; she performs every role dutifully in order to serve his every need. She does nothing with the education she has clamored so hard to achieve in order that she can devote herself full-time to his service. She plays the perfect wife so that he never suspects the machinations that she so underhandedly executes, and soon her fingers play the strings behind his every move. She did all that she could, and yet —
It is not enough.
It is not even by her mistake that the strings fall from her grasp. It is nothing but the product of time and the inevitable desires of those who are so used to having all that they wish; she is replaced with a girl younger and more exciting, and there is nothing that she can do about it. And she fights tooth and nail, she fights until her hands bleed, but the battle has long been lost. She is cast aside. And so she rains hell upon him. She may not have the considerable resources that he has, but she is driven by the violent desire for blood.
But even when she manages to usurp half of the empire they once ruled as emperor and empress, her victory feels empty. Gabriela has lost everything, and not even all the beautiful things in the world can replace that which she now lacks: a purpose.
HEADCANONS
— Despite all that she has been through and what she has had to do to get where she is, Gabriela is rather traditional and conservative. Despite this, she’s not unfriendly nor as snobbish as she might first seem. She gets along well with people. Most of the time.
— She prefers elegant soirées, galas, and balls to nightclubs and wild parties.
— She loves beautiful things: she collects fashion and art and jewelry; she loves fine and exclusive things: she often goes to Michelin-starred restaurants and often purchases inexcusably expensive liquor. More than that, she loves to give and loves to share. She often hosts luxury shopping sprees and opulent dinners for her friends.
— WIP
