freakymathgrl

[freakymathgrl]

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Gabriella had clung to her best friend upon the news of her breakup. While it did wonders for their music, it had come at the cost of her friend's heart. This was the first time since high school that the duo spent this much time in front of a piano together. "Oh, wait, play that again," she asked, sitting up from the pile of pillows she'd made home on the floor. "That's it. I'm sorry, it tickles my brain in all the right ways, you have to keep it." A smile formed, the sound of the keys coming together too beautifully to not be recorded. That had always been how she felt about Kelsi's music: the world deserved to hear it. Gabriella was coming into her voice again, having Toulouse to thank for helping her bring the music back into her life, and now Kelsi to solidify the love she always had. "I can even do backup vocals there if you like that little riff," she offered about the hum she'd added before getting distracted by the piano. "Not that you need it, I think it might be one of my favorites Kels."

If there was one thing on Kelsi's agenda tonight it was that her best friend didn't have to come into contact with a certain couple. Whom she was certain Gabriella had already seen but that had made her quick to distract the brunette and subtlety lead her to the other side of the house. Kelsi's enthusiastic nod showed she made a good decision in picking a costume. Normally, she'd be some niche musical character that she had to explain all night what the costume was but this was easily the fastest outfit people have guessed correctly. "I'm matching with Lil, she's the Keira Knightley to my Orlando Bloom." The wide grin on her face only faltered slightly when she realizes she can't find her girlfriend. "She's around somewhere, probably fixing some problem. It's her house, y'know, she just wants to make sure nothing crazy happens." She waved off the worries that she was sure to come back but she could deal with that later. "And you are..." Her eyes scanned her best friend's outfit with intent that she would figure it out. Maybe it was the nature of being around Lil so often now that Kelsi had gotten a bit of a determined streak, she was quite set on things she'd set her mind on nowadays. If Kelsi knew her friend as well as she did, her costume had to be some scientist of some sort. This one being a historical, Victorian-era costume as well left her with very little options. In fact, the only one that came to mind was the one she ultimately went with. "Marie Curie?"

[freakymathgrl]

Isabela Merced 🤍 CUFFING SEASON MV.

[freakymathgrl]

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There were few people that Gabriella felt would understand the struggle between the interests in her life. Science didn't exactly hold hands with music but Kelsi had always been her biggest supporter. No matter how hard she tried to deny her love for song, it always found her, whether in the shower or after hours at her favorite restaurant. Now that she had Toulouse on the same boat it was becoming difficult to ignore the future she could want for herself. "I guess that's what's so hard, you know? Worrying if you love one you'll lose the other," she thought out loud, a sigh following her words. "A chemist musician could be the next big thing, who am I to say?" Gabriella's smile grew at the thought as her eyes slipped over to the male at her side. He had only just met her and been able to get more from her than some of her longest friends. A simple act of kindness went further than even she had intended. "Can I count on you to be there if I ever do? It'd be nice to see a friendly face in the crowd." She'd always counted on Troy's in the past, finding peace when she'd caught his eye, and now uncertain of what smile she'd turn to when the nerves hit.

It was a good question, whether or not his family ever got tired of the drawings, paintings, and photographs he constantly made of them all. A question Toulouse wasn’t sure he actually had the truthful answer to himself. “I do not believe so,” he finally settled on saying, his shoulders raising in a shrug along with the words. “We were always quite supportive of each other’s works. For as much as I encaptured them in my art, they included me in theirs as well. I was always the first person to hear any new song or melody my brother composed. We have always been quite close.” Even before the trauma of their abduction taught them to lean only upon each other, the triplets had been raised tightly together - there was no one in the world he trusted and cared for more than his siblings.

He smiled softly and shook his head at the instance that all the credit should go to him and his mediocre piano skills. “Non, you should not count yourself so short. You have a beautiful voice,” he complimented again, genuinely meaning it as well. Considering Toulouse has always been an artist, has known it in his bones that was what he was, he understood the hesitance to reach out for any other skill or hobby. It was easy to simply stick with what you knew, what you were certain that you could succeed in - but it felt wrong to not encourage the girl at his side to go after a potential new passion. “Oui. But there are no laws that state a scientist cannot also be a musician. You can be more than just one thing in your life - there are many avenues in which everyone has potential to discover themselves within. And perhaps music can be one of yours, along with the science.”

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Listening to the stories of others was what she preferred, her own story being one that was so rarely shared. Gabriella didn't consider her life the most exciting but found even the smallest details of another to be quite interesting. Toulouse had a passion for something she knew nothing about which only grew her curiosity. "It's the best when you can combine what you love with what you do for a living," she agreed quickly, happy to have found a job she was happy with too. "Did they ever get tired of that? My mom hated it whenever I tried to do a portrait, she said I never got her good side, but that might be a problem with the artist." Gabriella had never been gifted with a paintbrush or even a pencil with paper but enjoyed watching anyone with that ability she lacked. "From memory is very clever though. I may have to suggest that one to my mom when I visit next, she might actually let me do that one if she can do one for me," she laughed at the thought. Going home wasn't as common as it used to be but Gabriella was never away for more than a week or so.

The brunette was amazed watching his fingers move across the keys, regardless of saying that he wasn't as gifted as his brother he certainly had her beat. The only other people she ever played with were Kelsi and her ex-boyfriend yet found it nice to find someone else who understood her love of music. Gabriella was a chemist first and foremost but from time to time she was a musician as well. Perhaps they both needed somewhere they could express this smaller piece of themselves. "Thank you, I think it was your playing though," she assured him. No one ever heard her but she appreciated his kind words nonetheless. "I hadn't really thought about it. Kelsi says I could if I wanted to, I just... have always been a scientist, you know?"

Perhaps other artists might be too shy or uncomfortable showing their works, considering how personal every piece could be, but Toulouse was long used to showing off anything he made. When he was younger his whole family would gather round and watch him paint, after all, so he’s long been used to displaying his heart and emotions openly with others. And showing finished projects was far less stressful than being observed in the creating process. “Of course. I work for the island’s paper right now, so a good portion of the photographs in there are mine - but that is just a job, not my passion.” It was his personal pieces that he took real pride in, rather than the ones he was told to do for the sake of work. “I enjoy all types of subjects. When I was a child my favorite was trying to paint my family members from memory, though,” he admits with a chuckle, remembering all the different versions of his siblings and mother he used to have. For a brief moment his mind reminds him of the many portraits of Edgar that had been mixed in as well, but he refuses to think on that for even a second.

“You make it sound so simple,” he chuckles with a shake of his head, knowing perfectly well how much he himself had struggled with plenty of his science and math courses. The arts had always been the focus in his home and that had shown when the triplets entered high school and had to take more advanced science and mathematics courses. “Bien joué. I applaud the dedication that must have come with that as well. Even if it felt natural to you, I’m certain a good amount of hard work and studying also had to be done.” They were silent for a few moments as Toulouse began to play his brother’s song, until she began humming along and eventually adding a few lyrics here and there. Though he had meant what he said by the physical arts being more his forte than music, this was still quite nice. Rarely did he get to have moments like this with a piano - Berlioz always taking over in that field and Marie being the one to sing. Sharing this with Gabriella was making him realize maybe he did enjoy music more than he ever let himself think, always just assuming he should stick to his paints and photography and let his siblings have their own thing. As they finished, his hands went to drop into his lap and he offered a bright grin to the girl beside him. “You have a beautiful voice. You should sing more often, if that’s something you are interested in doing. My sister used to do a bunch of small gigs around the island before she was signed. I could ask her about how she got those slots, if you wanted.”

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Gabriella understood that, having interests that rarely aligned with those around her. It was rare to be on both sides of the spectrum when it came to arts and smarts. While she was passionate about science, music held a special place in her heart that formulas could never fill. The brunette smiled as he spoke unsure what it was about him that made her feel so comfortable. They were only acquaintances but for some reason, she felt like she could trust him with the truth about herself. Gabriella didn't necessarily fit into a mold but it seemed that Toulouse understood that in his own way. "I would love to see some of your stuff, you know, only if you feel comfortable sharing. I'm a horrible artist except for a marigold which I can draw in my sleep," she laughed. "That's literally the only thing I've ever been able to draw, they covered my notebook in high school. Otherwise, I was just trying to pass." Art hadn't been her strong suit but she admired it from afar. In fact, she preferred seeing things that she didn't have a skill in so that she could appreciate those who were gifted in that way. "What do you like to draw or take pictures of? Are you a still-life guy or do you like working with people?"

She gave him a soft smile at his compliment, appreciating him for seeing the use in her science how she did. "I don't know why it made sense to me but it always did. I used to see it all as using all the tools I had to find the right answer and before I knew it I was converting density." Once their song ended they sat in a moment of silence, the girl trying to fight the urge to look over at him for reasons still unknown to her. Instead, the quiet ceased with the sounds of the piano as he caressed the keys, and without thinking she started to hum in sync with the notes he played. Gabriella found a few lyrics to sing before their tune came to a close, leaving her with a smile she couldn't wipe off. "I can't even remember the last time I sang in front of anyone... I didn't realize how much I missed it," the girl confessed quietly while tucking loose pieces of hair behind her ear.

Chuckling at her teasing, Toulouse was quick to shake his head in denial. Perhaps compared to the average person he had a decent amount of musical talent, but he had simply never compared to his siblings when it came to that area of expertise. Claiming that he could do just as much as them, or even close to it, always felt wrong. “Non, I much prefer my art instead. Painting, drawing, photography - those are my strong suits,” he clarified with a small smile. Her assessment of what having siblings must be like sounded quite accurate to some extent, however he wasn’t sure how often those roles changed within his own family. “Peut-être. I am unsure how often Berlioz has ever been anything other than the quiet one, however.” Another soft and fond laugh leaves him as he thinks about his brother, wondering if maybe one day he could finally come out of his shell enough to earn any other title.

His grin only grew at her own laughter, fingers continuing to pluck at a single key as they spoke. “A whole lab coat all to yourself? That is quite something indeed,” he agreed, tilting his head ever so slightly as she complimented his own talents. It was true, art wasn’t something that could very easily be taught in the same way maths or anything else could - but that didn’t mean he was any less impressed by her ability to understand science so well. “And not everyone can understand a formula, either. Out of every subject I have ever studied, chemistry was by far the hardest. It takes a great talent and brain to understand it so well.” As their song ended, Toulouse chuckled and debated for a moment whether to let it end there or go against everything he had just insisted upon and actually show her the bit of musical skills he indeed had. A glance over in her direction sparked him to feel the need to impress her for some reason, and so he raised his free hand to hover over the keys for a moment before he started playing a melody he’s had memorized for as long as he can remember - one of the first that Berlioz had composed and insisted upon teaching both of his siblings to play. It wasn’t the most complicated piece he could have possibly pulled out, but it was at least a step above a simple twinkle twinkle little star.

[freakymathgrl]

[freakymathgrl]

who: @pianielsen where: the deville halloween party

The brunette was greeted with a glare from Sharpay the moment she entered the party, feeling her eyes tracing her figure to dissect everything about her. It had been strange enough seeing her draped over Gabriella's high school sweetheart after making it very clear how much she detested his ex. That was her queue to go to the kitchen and get a drink immediately, realizing it was going to be more than one solo cup night which was a rare occurrence for her. Many of the faces that she passed on her way there weren't those she recognized but hoped someone would appear that she could cling to as she sipped. Whatever punch they'd concocted was now in the plastic cup that she tapped nervously in an attempt to find anything familiar besides her ex. It was Kelsi who came to her rescue, a sigh of relief welling in her lungs when she spotted the brunette moving through the chaos. "I am so happy to see you," she smiled. "And you look amazing, oh my gosh. Let me guess... Pirates of the Caribbean?" Gabriella guessed after giving the outfit a once over, pursing her lips in thought.

[freakymathgrl]

Isabela Merced, by Nicolas Gerardin.

[freakymathgrl]

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Gabriella couldn't help but smile as he talked about his siblings. Growing up it had always just been her and her mom, being forced to be an adult before she even knew it. All her life had expectations and now that she'd finally caught up to them she realized how much she'd missed. While having a sibling wasn't in the cards for her, Gabriella had gotten lonely during her childhood and filled that void with her studies. It was difficult to feel alone when she had a 4.0 GPA and a merit scholarship keeping her busy. "So it runs in the family, you've got to have some musical talent in there," she teased. "It's it funny how siblings are always like that? There's the one who's loud, the one who's quiet, and the one holding it all together and they're constantly changing roles." That was how it had been in her own family, watching her many aunts and uncles share these titles during various outings. Gabriella found herself smiling without noticing through their conversation, having been awhile since she was at such ease with a mere acquaintance.

"Not to brag but I do have a lab coat with my name on it," the brunette laughed at a feigned attempt to boast on her nerdiness. "I think anyone who can turn a blank canvas into something is just as impressive. My mom used to put my drawings on the fridge even though she had absolutely no idea what it was. They can't just teach you that sort of thing with a formula." Maybe that's why she liked science, there was always a right answer, and Gabriella often got stuck in the grey areas of life. After he matched her key she did another in return until they switched back and forth, creating a Frankenstein beat. That was until she hit the wrong key and it rang out like a squeal. "Oh, wow, yeah maybe that's why I stick to science."

He chuckles with a nod, agreeing completely with the sentiment she shared. “Oui. Marie is also starting to receive her own recognition as well. So is Berlioz, though his preferred form of being complimented is far different than our sisters. He much prefers to live in the background of it all, behind the keys, comme je l'ai dit. But I am always working on getting him out of his shell more.” It was once again more information that Gabriella probably asked for, but talking about his siblings just came so naturally. Settling down beside her on the bench once she had slid over ever so slightly to make space for him, Toulouse grinned down at the keys as he hovered his fingers over them, not yet pressing on any. “Petri dish and formulas? Ahh, a science prodigy here, I see. Quite impressionnante.” Though he knew he could easily break out into the handful of songs he had memorized on the piano as a child at any moment if he really wanted to, he instead pressed down on just a singular key, following behind the one she had chosen first.

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The brunette nodded as she listened to him, wondering what a collab between his musically inclined siblings and Kelsi might sound like. One thing she knew for certain was that it would sound better than anything Gabriella came up with. Music had spoken to her in a different way than her friends but science always came out on top. "They always deny it, don't they? Like they aren't literally insanely talented and you wish they could see what you do in them. That's exactly how it is with Kelsi but she's finally getting the recognition she deserves," the brunette said proudly about her best friend. No matter what Kelsi played it always seemed to sound like those notes were destined to be together. Gabriella scooted over on the bench to make room for her acquaintance to join her solo. "Honestly, me too. I'm better with a petri dish and formulas than music notes but it's still fun." The brunette tucked her bangs behind her ear before letting her fingers graze over the keys. "No one is here to judge us if we totally suck," she laughed pressing down on the first key, her smile twitching up slightly as it rang out of tune.

His smile softens as she goes on about her friend, knowing exactly what she meant despite never having met this Kelsi girl. “That is like my brother. He denies it, but I have always thought him to be some kind of musical prodigy - as well as my sister, though her talent lies in her voice while Berli is strongest when he can hide behind the keys,” he comments, despite the fact that she likely didn’t care about his siblings talents at all. But Toulouse was always so proud of their accomplishments and would never hesitate to brag about them whenever the opportunity presented itself. A light chuckle escapes him as Gabriella points out the fact that this was once again an unplanned meeting. “Maybe, though I do enjoy a nice surprise as well,” he promises with a smile before nodding and making his way over to the piano bench. “I must warn you, my talents lie with paint and a camera - when it comes to music I am far less gifted.”

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After so much time apart Gabriella couldn't blame him for wanting to move on, things had changed and she would be there as he explored a new part of his life. What they once had sat in the past now but whatever future they had now was uncertain. There had been a time when she imagined him at the end of the aisle, starting a family, and one day watching their own child go off to become a genius basketball star. That was a blip now and she'd have to wonder who it was that might one day be the one for her. Since high school, the brunette had only really imagined a life with Troy but now there were more unknowns than ever and she sat back to see where life would take her now.

A wide smile formed at his confirmation that he now enjoyed his sandwiches with the crust on but amusement at the time when he didn't. "Wooow, look at you. I didn't know you were up to the seed crust now." She feigned amazement as she placed a hand on her chest as if he'd told her something unheard of. "I'm so proud," Gabriella spoke theatrically as if she was about to cry. Regardless of their relationship status, it had been her best friend that she missed the most. After so many years together no one knew her quite like him and dating Sharpay wouldn't change that. "Next you're going to tell me you don't still have those Spiderman pajama pants, they were the best." They had been stolen many nights when she slept over. "Those are just irreplaceable if you ask me. You can't find them like that anymore."

The easy acceptance of it all wasn’t something Troy had really expected, but then again he also knew she wasn’t going to be too outwardly upset. Throwing a fit over something like this just wasn’t her style, so he doesn’t know what he might have actually really expected to happen. This was such new territory for the two of them, a real potential ending that he doesn’t fully know what to do with himself. Should he be apologizing? A part of him felt like that was appropriate, but then he reminded himself that she had been the one to break up with him in the first place all those years ago. Did he really have anything to be sorry for, all because he started and tried to move on? And he didn’t want Gabriella thinking he had any doubts, because he doesn’t, so maybe it’s best to just leave it all as is. No apologies, no trying to make her feel better, nothing. Just a promise to always be friends and to stay in each other’s lives. That much Troy knew he could do.

“I will,” he promises, a grin growing on his own lips at the sound of her laugh. It was strange, the way the noise still plucked on his heartstrings but for the first time in months it didn’t bother him. He wasn’t left feeling like he was missing something. Instead he simply got to enjoy a moment of companionship with her, without wishing or wanting for it to be something more. “Hey! You promised you wouldn’t hold that against me,” he teased right back, pointing a finger in accusation her way. “Besides, I’ll have you know I eat the whole sandwich now. Crust and all. Even the kinds with the seeds around the rim.”

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Gabriella had been surprised anyone would remember her, usually being the type to blend into the sea of people. It made her embarrassed momentarily and averted her eyes from the boy who had seen her short performance. "You should hear Kelsi play then, she's like amazing. I've never met a more talented songwriter. I seriously think the piano talks to her," the brunette joked with an undertone of seriousness. It wouldn't have surprised Gabriella if Kelsi had told her one day that it was true and that the keys spoke to only her. "Oui!" She tried to match his native tongue but it hadn't quite rolled off like her Spanish. "I can't seem to stop bumping into you. Maybe one of these days it can be on purpose." The girl flashed a small smile, looking back at the black and white keys in front of her. "You want to join me? We could be the worst two-man band this cafe has ever seen."

It wasn’t common for Toulouse to be out so late at night, especially on his own, but he had been hired to photograph a kid’s birthday party that had run far longer than anticipated and rather than going straight home, he needed a bit of a coffee break - otherwise he wasn’t entirely confident he wouldn’t fall asleep at the wheel. Thankfully he had befriended one of the closing baristas at this particular cafe and she let him in despite last call already having passed. Leaning against the counter as he waited for her to make whatever drink they still had sitting around, he didn’t really give much thought to the other girl that had moved to the front and stared at the piano for a moment. It wasn’t until she started playing and singing that his attention was really captured and he realized he recognized her, if only from the random encounter they had shared a few months back. A chuckle escapes his lips at her apologies and excuses, Toulouse shaking his head to reject the thought. “It sounded fine to me,” he promises, even though he did in truth recognize that she had likely hit the wrong key towards the end. But the average listener likely wouldn’t have picked up on the error, it was just his years of dealing with his brother and sister’s music lessons that Toulouse could tell. “Oui, c’est moi. And you are… Gabriella, non?”

[freakymathgrl]

Isabela Merced.

[freakymathgrl]

TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN (2024) Dir. Hannah Marks

[freakymathgrl]

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While the truth stung more than she wanted to admit, Gabriella couldn't fault him for wanting to explore something new. They had their chance and it had been her that decided to end this after all. She couldn't blame him for moving on, actually happy to hear he'd found someone worth chasing after, though she silently wished it had been anyone else. After the trouble they had with the blonde growing up Gabriella wondered if she'd matured but from the concert fiasco there were doubts. She hoped that now this feud between her and Sharpay could come to a close, and the other girl was finally getting the man she'd pined for since high school. "It's okay, I understand Troy. You have to see where this path leads, no one wants to be left asking what-ifs." That had been what fueled her own decision to leave when she had. They had to figure out things without one another, but Gabriella was just happy to be there now.

"Really? Tell Sharpay that," the brunette laughed in return, offering him a satisfied smile. It hadn't been what she wanted to hear but as long as she wasn't losing him entirely it would be alright. After all that they'd been through together, Gabriella was confident they could always be friends. They'd survived high school which some would say are the worst years of their life but she'd argue he made her time there better. "Don't worry about that, you know I'm not going anywhere if I still talk to you after finding out your mom cut the crust off your sandwiches all through high school," a small jab meant with love. Regardless of their story from here on out, she still fondly thought of their memories together.

It should be a relief, the fact that Gabriella seems to already know what he’s going to say without actually having to come right out and say it - but it also feels a bit wrong. Like he’s getting off too easy on potentially breaking her heart. But that thought makes him feel like a bit of an asshole, assuming it’s really as serious for her as that. Maybe it actually is as fine as she seems to want him to believe it is - maybe things really can be okay between them even after all of this mess. The thought brings a small smile to his face, though he knows it's probably not all that appropriate at the moment given that he’s here to tell her he’s picking another girl over her. “I’m sorry,” he finally offers, feeling like he has to say at least that much. “It wasn’t a decision I made lightly, or easily for that matter. I love you, Gabriella. I probably always will love you to some degree, but I have to see things through with Sharpay. I have to know what could be there.” She probably doesn’t actually want to hear anything else he has to say, so Troy leaves it at just that for now at least.

A light chuckle escapes him as he shakes his head ever so slightly, the mere thought of him allowing the blonde to keep Gabriella out of his life feeling far too amusing. “She has no choice,” he promises, reaching over the table to take a hold of her hand for a moment, giving it a squeeze before letting go. “You’re stuck with me forever, Montez. Or at least, until you decide you’ve had enough of me and kick me out of your life.” The words are said lightly, as just a joke, but there’s a truth to them nonetheless. The only way she was ever going to lose him would be if she straight up told him to go. Nothing else would ever be strong enough to drag Troy away, at least nothing he could think of at the moment.

[freakymathgrl]