At school, Melania walked alone through the corridor. No one wanted to be her friend. Her eyes wandered to the clusters of girls laughing together—beautiful girls with perfect hair and bright smiles. She didn't belong in their world. Nobody even glanced her way.
She slipped into the restroom and faced the mirror. A few new pimples had appeared on her face, making her sigh. Just then, two of her classmates entered. They stood side by side, fixing their hair, admiring their own reflections. Out of the corner of their eyes, they saw Melania staring sadly at herself—and smirked. One of them stifled a laugh, and the other followed. Melania felt her chest tighten.
She quickly left and headed to her classroom. The moment she stepped inside, a group of boys turned toward her.
"Sit down slowly, so the chair won't break!" one of them shouted, and the room erupted in laughter.
Melania kept her head down, slid into her seat, and tried to disappear. Shame burned in her cheeks.
After class, she walked home alone until Iris met her by the store near the school.
"How's your day?" Iris asked.
"Nothing new," Melania muttered. "Same teasing as always. I don't want to go to school anymore."
"Don't mind them," Iris said firmly. "You need to finish your studies. If you quit because of them, they win—and you lose."
Melania didn't reply. She just stared at the ground, her frustration weighing heavy.
When they got home, Valeria was busy in her tailoring shop with her two dressmakers, Flor and Rose.
"Hi, Mom! We're home!" Iris called as they passed through. Their small house was behind the shop, so they had to walk through it to reach the living area.
"I bought some snacks for you. They're on the table," Valeria said without looking up, cutting fabric at the large tailoring table.
In the dining room, the girls found a hamburger and a box of fries. Iris immediately grabbed the burger and took a big bite. Melania just sat there.
"Aren't you hungry?" Iris asked between chews.
"Not yet. I'll eat later."
"I think you're trying to diet," Iris teased.
Melania thought for a moment. "Yeah… from now on, I'm going to diet." She knew she'd said those words before—many times—and nothing had changed.
She went to her room, changed clothes, and lay down. Sleep was the one time she felt happy—because in her dreams, she was beautiful. In her dreams, she was in the Bolanaire Kingdom.
And then there was him.
The man she always saw there. The man who never told her his name.
"Well, next time I see him in my dream, I'll ask," she murmured, smiling to herself. "It's only a dream, anyway."
She closed her eyes, picturing his handsome face and strong, well-built body. A small smile played on her lips.
Then—
"There you go again, Melania," a voice said.
Her eyes flew open. Iris was standing in the doorway, arms crossed, shaking her head.
"Oh, I didn't know you came in," Melania said, sitting up quickly.
Iris sat beside her. "What are you always thinking about, huh?"
"N-nothing."
"You're daydreaming again, aren't you?" Iris smiled faintly.
"Dreaming is the only thing that makes me happy," Melania said softly.
"What do you dream about?"
Melania hesitated, then blurted out, "That I'm beautiful… and with the man I love."
"That's nice," Iris said, her voice tinged with sadness. "But it hurts when you wake up and face reality."
"I know. But it's still the only thing that makes me happy," Melania replied.
"So, what kind of man are you dreaming of?" Iris asked.
"Like the man I always see in my dreams," Melania said with a small, wistful smile. "I just don't know if someone like him exists in real life."
"What does he look like?"
Melania stood up, her eyes lighting up as she began to describe him.