The Black Tiger 24 Precence

Wide smiles… Laughter… Surrounded…

Trapped inside a circle of aristocrats Gabriel couldn't have been more anxious at his first social event. The huge crowds made it impossible to see the room which was ca. 100 meters in length and about 75 meters in width. The room was elegantly decorated with beautiful plants, golden and red wallpaper, dark wooded floor with large white blankets, different kinds of artworks, an elegant bar and expensive nature inspired furniture.

Gabriel tried to look away from the crowd, but his injuries made it impossible, especially since he was in multiple medical casts. Desperate he tried to get the butler to take him back to his room, only to receive the same answer again and again. "I have been instructed that you are going to attend todays ball."

He had been trapped the whole evening by the butler, fortunately the people had turned their attention towards the hosts of this grand event. Of course, this was Claudia (Gabriel's second oldest sister), Celeste, Charles, Mr. and Mrs. Warren. Tired Gabriel had recollected some of the hurtful statements and comments from their taunting guests.

"Look mom! It's a cripple!" A young boy around the age of eight screamed to his mother who gossiped with the woman wearing a marine blue mermaid dress with sparkling feathers. "Now I understand why they never talk about their second son, especially since he is the complete opposite of his older brother." A tall a man laughed. "I heard he hasn't inherited the genetic of beasts, but it seems like it's true because he hasn't healed as fast as a beast would." Someone out of sight uttered.

Those comments weren't the only ones which got spread through the crowd, but Gabriel started to get a head-ace of all the bad comments. He and the butler were in one of the corners on the opposite side of the room from the others. This made Gabriel feel a bit more at ease and despite everything which had occurred, he enjoyed some aspects of the ball. The music was the most interesting thing he liked, the rhythm was cla.s.sical and elegant which made it more fitted to be played at the ball. He was very impressed by the orchestra which performed dozens of songs through the night.

Gabriel sat still like he had done for the past two weeks; however, he closed his eyes to better feel the music's peaceful tunes. Unfortunately, it got disturbed by a familiar voice.

"Well, isn't it the trash which is ready to get dumped." Charles said without distributing any feelings, which was unusual. Gabriel was so surprised that he didn't notice Charles' snotty friends. Both men and women were envious of their stunning appearances which resembled porcelain dolls. Leonard is quite serious, so it's incredible that he manages to hang out with Charles and Theodor who both are impulsive and some muscle-heads.

-d.a.m.n, I hoped that they would be out in the halls flocked by a bunch of girls as they usually are. –

"The butler, you can leave the trash in our care" Theodor stated while he kicked the wheel-chair which almost made Gabriel fall onto the floor, but it still hurt a lot. Leonard observed his friends verbally bully the Warren family's youngest son brutally while slowly hurt Gabriel. Of course, Leonardo only hang out with those idiots since his father wanted to seal multiple business deals throughout the years. he related more to Gabriel's interests and had wanted to talk to him for a long time, but Leonardo did never go through with such an action because he didn't want to be responsible for the eventual consequences.

Gabriel felt Leonardo's eyes following him while he got tortured by those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, this made him feel hopeless. Those grey eyes traced every action and did only stop when the butler came back telling them that he had been instructed to take Gabriel to his bedroom. This made the boys roll their eyes and quickly start a new topic.

-How can they even be considered as human beings! –

The young butler made his way down the corridor while pus.h.i.+ng Gabriel, after they had entered his room the butler placed him on the bed. The creepy bugs wrestled on the cracked floor; it was quite unsightly. When alone he huffed while making a grim expression.

"You seem defeated." Tigris ruff voice echoed in Gabriel's mind.

"If you only knew…" he stunned while staring at the ceiling.

It took a while before the silence was broken…

"I can help you, but it isn't cheap".