Beneath the Starry Sky

Dance

Alina Baraz - Maybe 🎵

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I felt the chaotic pressure of a million water droplets on my face. Gasping for air, I reached out for anything to grab to pull me to the surface. When I felt the sun's rays on my eyelids, the red in view, I finally was able to take the breath I was dying to take.

The toasty air. A sensation of returning.

"Vivian?!"

"I think she's coming to..."

"...Coming where...?" I asked innocently. It seemed to earn a few giggles from Joy and Cristian.

I saw Ariel when I opened my eyes, but then, he seemed to dissipate leaving behind a worried looking Nate.

Oh no... What's happening to me?

"Why am I all wet?"

Joy shrugged. She was sympathetic and simultaneously sarcastic. "Cristian thought it would be a great idea to throw some water on you."

"Well... I'm awake."

Nate helped hoist me into a seated position wordlessly.

"We thought you were having a heat stroke. At first, I thought you were just napping, but then you got all red and started freaking out and I couldn't wake you, so then I started freaking out and called for Cristian to come help," Joy explained.

"Amazing..." I groaned.

"Nate was the only one who could get you to wake up."

Our eyes met. A pang in my chest.

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

"Yes, I think so. I'd like some water, please."

Cristian looked like he was about to offer me his bucket before Joy snapped, "Not that water, dummy!"

Nate could tell something had happened to me. He sent Joy and Cristian to go and find some water bottles and then claimed Joy's seat beside me.

"What happened?" He asked immediately.

"I had a dream... that I drowned."

Nate frowned.

"But it wasn't me. I was someone else. What was it...? Catalina?"

He pursed his lips in thought. "Catalina, huh? Maybe she could be related to our ghost boy, Ah-riel."

I waved my hand, "Related romantically. Ariel was in my dream."

His eyes widened. "You're sure?"

"Yes, absolutely. It felt too real to be a dream. A memory maybe. A distant one."

It was a hot day with the sun beating down just after noon, but I could feel the goosebumps roughening my skin.

"I woke up in my dream as Catalina. I was in this room, it was plain and simple... There was a mirror, a dresser, a bed... a balcony. We were being chased. The village was burning around us. We just made it down the hill..."

Nate watched my eyes move as if the very scene was unfolding in front of us.

"Ariel was killed and he fell into my arms and then I jumped into the water..."

"...and then you drowned." Nate finished.

I nodded quickly.

He breathed in deeply and let out the breath in a big deep sigh. "Well, Vivian, things just got a whole lot more interesting." He flashed a bright smile, one I wasn't expecting.