I found myself back in the same grove, as beautiful as it had seemed the night before. I was ready for whatever came next. The butterflies fluttered around me, the Naewat... but he wasn't in the same place as always. I looked around and almost jumped when I saw him standing next to me. He wasn't smiling, but the intensity of his gaze made my heart race. Or maybe it was because something different was finally happening. It was time for the next step. The moment I had been waiting for months.

Looking at him more closely, without the hundreds of butterflies around us, I realized something I hadn't noticed before. I understood why this Naewat was different from the others. They all had white hair and soft grayish eyes with elongated pupils, like a cat. But his were a strange mix of blue and green, and his pupils were round like any other human's. So was it true? Was he a hybrid? How was that possible?

He took my hand and gently led me to a lake I hadn't noticed before. Had it always been there? A dolphin emerged from the water, leaped, and plunged back in with a cheerful splash. I had never seen a living dolphin and smiled in wonder. He smiled too, and then, as always, he spoke.

"I am waiting for you," he said in a deep voice so soft it was almost like a caress. Then I realized it. I understood him! I understood what he said!

I woke up startled and put my hand on my chest, feeling it pound at full speed. What had just happened? The dream had been different, and I didn't want to forget it. I grabbed my tablet and wrote as fast as I could so as not to forget any details and to be able to tell Professor Esau about it the next day.

Then I reread what I had written and an idea crossed my mind. A slightly crazy idea that could get me into trouble. What if that dream meant I could find more answers at the dolphin fountain? I checked the time and it was past two in the morning. I should have waited until the rest period was over and investigated in the morning, but with all the hustle and bustle of the day, it was impossible to find a gap to investigate at the fountain. The best thing was to go there. If I was careful, no one would notice, although if I was discovered, I could get into trouble and be severely reprimanded. Not even Professor Esau's influence could save me from an ominous punishment.

I lay back down in bed, but I tossed and turned. I couldn't get back to sleep because of that little voice inside me trying to convince me to be reckless. What if I missed the chance to unravel the mystery that had surrounded my dreams for so long? What if he was really waiting for me there?

I sat up again and paced around the apartment, feeling my heart pounding out of my chest with adrenaline.

A small alarm vibrated on my wrist. It was the bracelet that monitored my vital signs and made sure we were healthy. It had detected that my heart rate had risen to 110. I laughed. I wouldn't be able to hide this spike in ppm from Esau. He would know something was up even if I denied it, so I decided the best thing to do was give him a reason to suspect, since otherwise, he would doubt me.

I opened the apartment door and the faint nightlight gave an eerie air to the normally bustling corridors of the space station. I hadn't put on shoes to be more silent and the cold of the metallic floor made me shiver. I walked stealthily, paying attention to every sound around me, but no one expected a student to disobey something as basic as a curfew. There was no surveillance of any kind and I was able to reach the common area without any problem.

I observed cautiously before venturing in. There didn't seem to be anyone. In the distance and with no one around, it was easy for me to fix my gaze on the dolphin fountain. It wasn't splashing water at that hour, but even so, it looked beautiful. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly before leaving the shelter of the hallway of my apartment. There was no turning back now. I had completely disobeyed.

I dodged the tables and chairs and stopped in front of the fountain. I leaned over and reached out to touch the water with my fingertips. It was cold. I took a deep breath and, although my heart was still pounding, a wave of peace filled me. It was strange because for a moment I felt like, somehow, it was the calm before the storm.

I looked around, waiting to find something that would tell me why I was there, but I saw nothing. The common area, normally so bustling and noisy, was completely empty. The dim light made it look more sinister and I shivered. There were several floors around me that overlooked the center of the common area. All of them led to the student rooms, except for those in section A, which were dedicated to classes.

I looked more closely, feeling strangely watched, but I couldn't find anything out of place. Everything was silent, until, suddenly, it was broken by a voice behind me.

"It's lovely, isn't it?" I jumped and took a few steps back in fear. I would get into trouble if someone found me out of my apartment at that hour.

I turned around, and my eyes couldn't believe what they saw. It was the peculiar Naewat from my dream in person.

"You..." I muttered. "You're... real."

He laughed, frowning.

"Yeah, I think so," he scoffed, patting his chest as if to make sure he wasn't a ghost.

I stared at him incredulously, waiting for him to say something, like in every dream, but he just looked around and nonchalantly continued talking.

"You shouldn't be here at this hour. They could call you out on it."

I felt a little disappointed. Our long-awaited meeting wasn't anything special. Were my dreams playing tricks on me?

"But you... you said you were waiting for me."

"Me? I've never seen you before. How could I have said something like that?"

I cleared my throat nervously. Obviously he hadn't said it, but a representation of him through my dream. Maybe it was something he would say to me in the future or... I growled in frustration. Without Professor Esau's guidance, it was hard for me to think about the meaning of my dreams.

"And what are you doing here? This isn't the place for you either," I said, thinking about the curfew, but he didn't seem to understand what I was referring to and looked at me with a frown and a bit annoyed.

"If you're saying that because I'm a Naewat, you're wrong. I have as much right as you to be in the academy, and my 80% human DNA proves it."

"So, it's true. You're a hybrid."

He blushed slightly and put his hands in his pockets uncomfortably as he looked around at all the corridors surrounding the common area.

"What does that matter?"

"I thought that couldn't exist. After all, it's forbidden for the species to... mix."

"You don't know anything, human. Do you really think we're different species?"

"Aren't we?" I inquired surprised by that revelation.

"Well, it could be... although not in the way everyone here believes. It seems the leadership here harbors a certain envy towards our capabilities, and..."

"Oh, now you include yourself among the Naewat? What about your 80% human?

He looked at me annoyed again. Somehow I liked it when he looked at me like that. He was different from the other Naewat I had seen so far. Always with their perfect, impassive faces. Not him. He was so... human, yet so perfect at the same time.

"And what's your name?" I asked eager to know more about him.

"My name is Darehtoriansworerg."

"Can you repeat it?" The hybrid smiled. For a moment I doubted if the name was really complicated or if I was the one who had been staring at him and hadn't heard him.

"I didn't expect a limited human mind to understand my name the first time. Humans call me Dareh."

"Limited mind? What's wrong with you?" I replied exasperated.

He smiled again and looked at me for a few seconds with an intensity that I found difficult to decipher. It was as if deep down he also recognized me. Unexpectedly, all my anger subsided and I observed that familiar smile. It was the one I expected to see, exactly the same as the one in my dream.

"And you are..." he continued inquiring.

"My name is Ada."

"Ada... Ada..." he smiled and slapped his hand as if he had found the solution to all the problems "Ah, I remember! You're the one who sees the future."

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it seeing the future..." I replied modestly.

"Don't think you're so important," he added scornfully. "What good is knowing the future if you can't do anything to change it?"

I wrinkled my nose starting to be too upset to keep the conversation on friendly terms. What the heck was wrong with this guy?

"Hybrid, you're starting to get on my nerves. Why are you talking to me like this?" I watched him in bewilderment, waiting for an answer that never came. He was as perfect as he was infuriating. One of my great sorrows was not being able to do anything to change my dreams and watch them always come true, both good and bad, and he, without hesitation, had just put his finger on my sore spot.

"I know. I'm charming."

I snorted in annoyance. This situation was as unexpected as it was surprising. I never would have believed he would be like this. But I couldn't give up on him. I had risked a lot going there and I couldn't waste the opportunity.

"Well, whatever you say. And now, tell me. Do you want something from me?" I insisted.

"What makes you think I want something from you?" He shook his head as he smiled incredulously.

"I had a dream tonight. You took me to a dolphin and you told me that..."

"Wow, so you've been dreaming about me?" he said slyly, crossing his arms. "I hope you haven't been too naughty."

"What? No! They're not that kind of... Ah. Forget it. I'm leaving."

"Goodbye," he said with a smile, waving his hand in farewell.

"And I hope never to see you again!"

"It was a pleasure meeting you too."

"Goodbye."

"See you later."

"Never see you again."

I turned to leave, but deep down I hoped he would stop me. He didn't, and I kept walking until I reached the corridor that would take me back to my apartment.

Before going in, I turned to look at him one last time. He was still standing there, watching me go, and he waved again. I frowned in disappointment. I had put a lot of expectations into this meeting and it had turned out to be a fiasco. Where had this guy come from? And why did he keep tormenting me in my dreams if he was nothing more than another ordinary boy? I couldn't understand anything, so I decided that the next day I would talk to Professor Esau about him. Maybe he would be happy to know that I had literally met the Naewat of my dreams, even when the truth was that he was a nightmare idiot.

I reached the apartment and, frustrated, threw myself on my bunk bed while turning our conversation over and over in my head. Maybe there was something I had missed. Maybe, in reality, this had just been a dream. Maybe there was some hidden meaning in his baffling attitude. But for now, I couldn't do anything, I just wonder if we will meet again.

*           *           *

That morning, I didn't wake up before my alarm clock and jumped out of bed as soon as I saw that there were only ten minutes left until the first class started.

"Damn it..." I muttered as I washed up and got dressed.

I wouldn't have time for breakfast or the chat with Professor Esau either. If I kept this up, I would end up getting another reprimand. I left the apartment with my hair still messy and finishing up buttoning the top of my uniform.

Although I wasn't late for Professor Simona's class, because of the previous day's punishment, that morning we had to take an Earth History test. I had no problem, as I knew the subject matter better than the teacher herself, but the rest of my classmates protested vehemently, including Styan.

It was a tiring morning, but it wasn't until the first lunch break that I was able to eat something. I felt faint, so even the porridge tasted good.

I hadn't been able to talk to June yet about what had happened, and although I couldn't wait to share it with someone, I had my doubts about whether it was a good idea. I was sure she wouldn't judge me, but I would make her an accomplice to my little crime.

"Ada, are you okay?" My friend's voice startled me more than usual and it made her laugh.

"Yeah..." I murmured, resting my forehead on the table.

"You don't look so good. Didn't you get any rest?" she asked worriedly as she looked at my hair with a frown. She stood behind me and undid my messy, improvised hairstyle, doing it properly again. "There you go, you look better."

"Thanks, June."

"You're welcome, but everything has its price. So, tell me. What happened? Why did you come to class this morning looking like crazy and without breakfast?"

"Oh, well. Does it show that much?" I smiled sheepishly. 

She nodded, raising an eyebrow. I knew without her saying it out loud, that it offended her that I doubted her ability to read my reactions. Besides, she knew me well, that was her talent. She could easily perceive other people's emotions.

I slapped my cheeks in a futile attempt to get the tiredness out of my face, but it only made her laugh more. It wasn't normal to see someone tired. Our day had a time for everything and sleep time started at ten and ended at six. When it was violated, the teachers would reprimand and investigate the student's habits. It wouldn't be difficult to investigate the opening history of my apartment door, and not only that, but also check the position of my bracelet which, as an inexperienced escape artist, I had worn all the time. They would easily discover that I had left my room.

"You look exhausted. The same dream again?" she asked with a mischievous smile. "Did you see the Naewat again?"

"Well, yes... but it wasn't the same as always," I replied evasively. June tilted her head expectantly and a smile lit up her face.

"Are you telling me that the dream was different? Did you manage to understand what he said?"

"Actually, yes. I did."

"By all the photons in the Sun! I've been waiting for this moment for months! So what did he tell you?" June grabbed my hands tightly, eagerly awaiting my story.

"Well, it turned out to be a bit disconcerting, but... he said he was waiting for me."

"He's waiting for you? Where?" her anxiety grew with each question.

"From the context of the dream, I sensed that it was at the dolphin fountain, although he didn't say it in his own words and..."

"And are you going to go?"

"I went," I replied timidly.

"You went?" June understood the implication of my past tense answer and, alarmed, looked around and lowered her voice. "Are you crazy? You can't leave your apartment during curfew."

"I know, but I needed to go. Maybe, if they find out, Professor Esau will be able to intercede for me, arguing that it has to do with my dream research."

"Or maybe not. You need to be more cautious, Ada," she scolded me. However, the smile returned to her lips. "Well. So was he there? Did you see him? Did he talk to you?"

"Well... yes, yes and yes. All that happened, but it was a bit... disappointing."

"Disappointing? What do you mean?"

"That Naewat acted like an idiot. He spoke badly to me and was making fun of me all the time."

"Are you telling me that he sneaked out in the middle of the night to make fun of you? It doesn't make much sense," June frowned thoughtfully.

"I know. It's all very strange."

"But then, was that all? Didn't he say anything else?"

"No. I told you! He acted like an idiot."

"Wow, how unexpected!" she put her finger on her chin as she thought about what I had told her. "Do you think it's the same Naewat who has been transferred to our area?"

"I think so."

"It's very strange. And why have they transferred him to our area? They always try to keep us separated. What's so special about him?"

"He's a hybrid, June," I explained. My friend turned pale and frowned. "According to what he told me, his DNA is 80% human."

"You're kidding me. How could he be a hybrid? For that to happen, there would have had to be intimate interaction between a human and a Naewat..." As she thought about it, June blushed. "Do you think...?"

"It's obvious. He's there!"

"And how is he different from a Naewat? I mean, can you tell at a glance that he's a hybrid?" she asked with interest.

"Well, he's almost the same as a Naewat. His hair is white, he's tall, muscular..."

"Handsome?"

"Oh, very handsome," we both laughed a little more excited by the conversation. "But he didn't have that impassive seriousness that all Naewat have. Even I could see how he felt through his gestures. He got angry, he smiled, he joked..."

"I would have liked to see him."

"He also has green eyes."

"Green? I can't imagine a Naewat with green eyes. It would remind me too much of Styan," she laughed.

"He wished he looked a little like..."

A strong arm grabbed me by the shoulder and Styan's face appeared between June and me, giving us a terrible scare, since talking about hybrids was taboo.

"Good morning, ladies. Have you rested well?" he said with a laugh, but the smile disappeared from his face as soon as he saw that we had both turned pale from the fright. "By any chance, I won't have the luck that you were talking about me, right?" he asked, winking at me. Then I remembered his statement from the night before. I had completely forgotten about it.

"Of course not," June snapped uncomfortably. "Why would we?"

Styan misinterpreted June's shyness and smiled again, thinking that we were lying.

"Very well, ladies," he took our hands and kissed them. First June's and then mine, lingering a few seconds longer. "I'll let you continue your conversation."

June looked at me with an incredulous smile, while holding her hand as if it were the most wonderful treasure in the world.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked, pretending with very little effort to be bothered.

"Nothing. He's an idiot and you know it."

"Has something happened that I should know?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. Unfortunately, June had perceived a bit of unease in me and I couldn't hide it from her anymore.

It was no secret to me that June was attracted to Styan, although, like a good student, she kept her feelings until after graduation. It bothered me that she wasted those feelings on a womanizer like him.

"No! You know he's a born rogue and always goes around with silly stuff like that." I looked at my friend sideways hoping that she would settle for that answer.

"True."

She sighed a little more discouraged and began to collect her tray with the leftovers from lunch. She had never spoken to me aloud about her feelings for Styan, although she had not denied them either. I came to wonder if perhaps she'd seen something special in him because of her gift. Otherwise, what could she see in someone like him?

She was one of the few girls around him who had not been courted by him and it was starting to be a bit obvious that he was avoiding doing so. I couldn't imagine how she felt, but I was sure it had to be no less than humiliating.