Float Like a Buttlerfly

That’s all Gabbi wanted, was to be accepted. She had felt like such an outcast for so long back at home, she just wanted a change, even if she wasn’t fully prepared for it. “I really hope so, truly. I’m not the best at socializing but I’m excited and a little nervous to try and make some friends.”

Originally posted by alexcsofrp

“You’re doing fine with me so I”m not too sure what you might not be good at.” Ollie teased with a grin.  “Trust me though I went through the whole shitty at socializing thing though. This place kind of forces you to not.” And well Ollie was quickly learning he needed update the languages he was starting to learn because he felt horrible she had to read his lips.

Gabriela looked at the note, shocked and confused at first but then grateful to not have to go through the normal formalities of explaining her deafness. She reached into the side of her bag to grab a pen. Yeah, a little. I’m new and this place is huge. I’m trying to figure out where the new students go so I can figure out where I stay. 

She smiled shyly handing him back the paper.

Originally posted by latinroyaltys

Oh!

Reed could totally help with that. He understood what it was like to be lost and confused in a really big place. He actually felt a little lost and confused right now himself, except not in a physical way. He felt lost about what to do with his life. He felt lost when he realized that maybe his parents didn’t love each other anymore. He felt lost when he remembered he’d never been on his own but he needed to start trying to do that. 

None of that was important at the moment though because this girl needed to get to the resident offices and Reed knew exactly where that was. He held out his hand to help her up and then started writing on his paper again, explaining what he was going to do. 

Gabbi looked down at the paper he was writing on and nodded in agreement. This feels like she is meeting her first real friend.

Gabriela gave him a small smile, it was nice to meet someone who knew BSL. It’s so hard to have to talk when you can’t hear your own words. “It’s quite alright. I honestly appreciate it. It’s easier then trying to talk all the time.” Gabbi was only used to having her parents to sign to, everyone else she was stuck staring at their mouths. She hated that, it felt rude, or like you miss things because you aren’t looking at the person as a whole but just one part of them.

Greg smiled lightly as the girl signed back, thankful that he hadn’t been ignorant in trying to communicate with her. It was a relief honestly for himself as well. He never stuttered over the words his hands signed. Never felt like he was rambling or… being weird. ‘Well then, this it is. Where did you say you were trying to go? Because if you have a room I can help you find it? Or…if you need to speak with the new student adviser I can take you there first…?’ 

Gabriela sighed, she didn’t want it to hurt so much talking about home. It’s not supposed to be like that, you’re supposed to have all these awesome things you can tell someone about back home. But it was never good for her there, at any point of her life, even when she thought it was. “It’s alright, I just wasn’t the most popular or widely accepted girl back home. I was different and people knew and looked down on me for it.” It felt good to say it to someone, but Gabbi is always careful not to reveal too much, she had learned some things should just stay a secret.

Ollie nodded though he didn’t understand it. Sure he had the world against him but he always had his family. He always had someone looking out for him. And now, now he had the ability to do almost anything and he was well aware of his privilege.

“Then they were stupid. Trust me when I say Swynlake is pretty good. You have a few assholes, everyone does. But Swynlake is pretty accepting.”

Gabriela frowned a little just thinking about back home, the people there were always so mean. Looking on her and her family with judgement and hatred when they found out her secret. She knew it was all her fault, she knew they were surrounded by intolerant religious people, but they were supposed to be a nice loving people. Instead she got a angry mob driving her family out of town. “Umm, well… I’m from Texas,” she finally manages to get them name out. It felt as if it burnt her tongue as she said the word.

Ollie grimaced. As someone who ran half of his life, he knew when talking about a home hurt. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I kind of get complicated home lives. Don’t actually talk to my birth Mother at all.”

Marian had quite enjoyed having the dorm to herself. Of course, the university had put people in there from time to time, but none of them had ever stuck around particularly long. A symptom, she feared, of her lack of social skills. Though they’d posted a note through her door that week to let her know that another was on her way.

It wasn’t until the day they were due to arrive that she realised she’d have to tidy away all of the possessions that had slowly made their way into the unoccupied half of the space. So she’d showered, quickly, and with her dressing gown on and her towel still coiled around her head, she began shifting plants and books back to where, she was quickly discovering, she no longer had room for them.

She let out a little yelp as the door clicked open and quickly kicked a stack of pots under the near by desk. She’d work out what to do with those later. “Hi…” She smiled, turning to the stranger and inconspicuously swiping her most recent stack of mad scribbles off of the counter with and into the bin.

The first thing that caught her eye was all the stuff filling such a small space, how in the world could her room mate have made this all fit? Had she ever had a room mate before? Oh boy I bet she is going to be mad because I’m intruding on her place. Gabbi was completely oblivious to the fact that her room mate was standing right off to the side trying to make introductions that were literally going in one ear and out the other. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there. Um I’m your new room mate, Gabi... Gabriela,” Gabriela spoke and signed at the same time then holding her hand out to shake her new room mates with a smile.

Gabriela was lost in thought watching the crumpled paper flutter around in the wind. She could relate so much with that paper, just flowing place to place with no final destination. She wanted this place to be it, she hoped she could finally settle here where there are supposed to be people like her. She shakes her head, doubting there could actually be that. She had heard rumors but hadn’t seen it with her own eyes so it wasn’t real as far as she was concerned.

Gabriela looked up quickly from the map when the girl stepped on it, shocked by the sudden intrusion of her thoughts. Did she read the girls lips correctly? Gilbert Grape? “I’m sorry I don’t know who this Gilbert Grape is you’re talking about?” Gabriela spoke and signed at the same time.

Oh. Oh. 

This was going to be fun.

See, back home in Hallowtown, they’d only had a couple people that were…y’know. The Gilbert Grapes of the world, if you catch her drift.

Which meant Shock rarely got the great pleasure of fucking with them. She had no idea what was wrong with this one, but it didn’t really matter. They were all the same in the end, right?

“And I can’t un-der-sta-nd what you are say-ing with all that fl-ail-ing.” 

Gabriela smiled at his words, that’s all she wanted was to make friends. She wanted this to be her final landing place. She didn’t want to have to move to another new place again. And the people here are supposed to be more like her, so she hopes she can feel more accepted. “I really hope it goes that way. I didn’t have many friends back home so it would be a nice change of pace.”

“Where is back home for you? I’m a New Yorker through and through though I’ve been here long enough now that it feels like I’m a Swynlaker through and through.” Ollie knew it was a weird place. A troublesome place. But the very fact was. It was home. So much had happened here that he was thankful for the place. Even if it took a long time to think that way too.

Gabriela walked into Pride University bags in tow, parents no where in sight. “I miss my mom and dad already. This would be so much easier if I knew at least one person here,” Gabriela sighed thinking to herself walking further into the school looking for the new students office. “I don’t even have a room assigned to myself, where in the world am I going to stay,” Gabriela looked at the map frustrated not knowing where to go. Gabriela throws the map on the floor, drops her bag and slides down the wall defeated.

Looking up from where he’d been leaning, checking his phone for any missed messages from Tigg, Shere watches in concern as a young girl throws a map down at her feet, sliding down the wall with a distressed look on her face. Kicking off the wall he was against, Shere made his way over, head cocked to the side, a concerned look pulling at his brow. 

Gabbi noticed a very large, well built gentleman walk in front of her but she didn’t catch what he was saying. He looked a little too old to be a student, she was hoping it was a teacher. Or maybe just her luck someone to end her misery. “I’m sorry what did you say? I’m deaf,” Gabbi said looking up to him while signing.

Gabriela was just so overwhelmed, this was all so new to her. How did her parents expect her to go it alone. She barely socialized at home, especially after the one friend she thought she did have turned out not to be who she thought they were. It made her close up even more, her parents were probably the only people she talked to, the only people who knew her. She didn’t notice the boy walk up until he was handing her map back to her. She looked up at him she making out the last few things he said. “Sorry,” she reached out grabbing the map. “I’m new here and can’t find my way to where the new students go,” Gabbi tried to say making sure her words came out clearly.

Gregory wasn’t quite sure what he expected, but he noticed the gaze that didn’t meet his eyes when he knelt in front of her, the way she seemed to be following his lips more than anything else, and then when she spoke he felt himself nod.  He found his brows raising slightly, simply nodding for a moment as he glanced down the hallway. ‘Uhm.. that’s okay. I…I mean a lot of people do that when they first get here.’ He started, once again watching her expression before he shifted on his feet. ‘Ar-… Do you do sign?’ He finally asked with a complex gesture of his hands, raising his brow before he gently continued in BSL, much like he was communicating with Mirium (But not Reed, he reminded himself.). ‘I don’t know where you’re from but, I’m okay at ASL but..I’m fluent in BSL. Also I’m really sorry if I’m assuming - you just… you kept looking at my lips, and I.. I figured this might be easier?’ 

Gabriela walked into Pride University bags in tow, parents no where in sight. “I miss my mom and dad already. This would be so much easier if I knew at least one person here,” Gabriela sighed thinking to herself walking further into the school looking for the new students office. “I don’t even have a room assigned to myself, where in the world am I going to stay,” Gabriela looked at the map frustrated not knowing where to go. Gabriela throws the map on the floor, drops her bag and slides down the wall defeated.

Gregory knew what a near breakdown looked like. He suffered from them often - and really was quite the expert on nearly crying in public for whatever reasons. It didn’t help he was sensitive by nature but.. he definitely was also overly stressed just about all the time lately. A combination like that led to…many many bathroom trips to try and compose himself before anyone noticed. Which is why when he saw the girl in front of him throw her stuff and then slide down the wall, Greg was pretty sure it wasn’t out of joy. Not even close, really. ‘…Are uhm… are you okay?..’ The boy asked softly as he approached the upset student, bending down to pick up her map and glancing down at it for a moment before he offered it out towards her. ‘…Do..do you need help finding something…?’ 

“I wish my mom was here, at least I would know someone then, I’m Gabriela by the way.” Gabriela thought they might as well know each others names since he was nice enough to help her navigate this huge place. Just the mention of her mom made her want to be back with her parents, but she knew it was better for her to be here. It had to be.

“Don’t worry about not knowing people. I’m sure you’ll meet a lot of people soon. Make friends and the whole fun university thing.” Ollie grinned at her if only that could potentially help her. “I’m Oliver, or Ollie. Whatever is easier.”

Gabriela walked into Pride University bags in tow, parents no where in sight. “I miss my mom and dad already. This would be so much easier if I knew at least one person here,” Gabriela sighed thinking to herself walking further into the school looking for the new students office. “I don’t even have a room assigned to myself, where in the world am I going to stay,” Gabriela looked at the map frustrated not knowing where to go. Gabriela throws the map on the floor, drops her bag and slides down the wall defeated.

She was walking down the corridor after dropping off an order when–she stepped on a map. 

Oooh, someone is throwing a hissy fit. 

This could be fun–and Shock was addicted to fun. 

“What’s eating you, Gilbert Grape?” she asked with a snort as she stopped in the hallway, didn’t take her foot off the map, and raised her eyebrow at the girl.

Gabriela looked up quickly from the map when the girl stepped on it, shocked by the sudden intrusion of her thoughts. Did she read the girls lips correctly? Gilbert Grape? “I’m sorry I don’t know who this Gilbert Grape is you’re talking about?” Gabriela spoke and signed at the same time.

Gabriela walked into Pride University bags in tow, parents no where in sight. “I miss my mom and dad already. This would be so much easier if I knew at least one person here,” Gabriela sighed thinking to herself walking further into the school looking for the new students office. “I don’t even have a room assigned to myself, where in the world am I going to stay,” Gabriela looked at the map frustrated not knowing where to go. Gabriela throws the map on the floor, drops her bag and slides down the wall defeated.

Reed was on his way to his Art Theory class when he noticed something very sad. There was a very stressed out looking girl sitting up against the wall and she looked like she might even be about to cry. He saw a  map crumpled on the ground next to her and he smiled to himself. Maybe she was just lost. He could help her with that! 

He took out his little note pad and scribbled a note for her before walking up and handing it over. 

Do you need some help? It said. You look like you might be lost and I know my way around here pretty well.

She smiled shyly handing him back the paper.

Gabriela was shocked by him holding her hand but she did her best to make sure he didn’t notice. She wasn’t used to people talking to her, and especially wanting to touch her, even in such a simple friendly way. “Where did you stay your first year?” Gabriela asked looking at him curiously but intent so she doesn’t miss what he says.

Originally posted by primadonnagifs

With the girl Standing Ollie grinned taking his hand back and adjusting his bag back onto his shoulders. Everything was messed up within it but he could deal with that later.

“My Mom lives here so I stayed with her. But I figured I might as well at the dorm experience.” Ollie explained making sure to face her while he spoke even as they started to walk.

Gabriela tried to slow her words down so they could come out as clear as she could make them, “I can read lips, I just need you to talk a little slower for me.” Gabriela picked the map back up from the floor holding it out to him, “I’m trying to figure out where my room is but I’m having zero luck.”

“Okay, lip reading it is.” Nodding his head Ollie offered the girl his hand as he looked at the map. “I can help you find it, This is my second year at Pride U. My first at the dorms.” Ollie shrugged with a grin.

Gabriela was lost in her frustration that she almost jumped out of her skin when some guy stepped in front of her. She couldn’t catch what he had said, it was too fast for her to read his lips. Great another person she will have to explain her deficiencies to. Gabriela stood up and brushed herself off. “Sorry what did you say? I’m deaf.” She signed to him while trying to say the words the best of her ability as well.

Ollie followed her hands but the boy didn’t know sign language. He was just trying to learn Spanish and he had been doing that for a year. Let alone trying to learn BSL and not ASL.

“Can you read lips? Piece of paper maybe? I don’t know sign language though.” Ollie asked already rifling through his own backpack for a pen and paper.