Delphine closed the front door of her house with a big smile on her face and rushed into the kitchen to tell her mom something exciting.
"Mom, mom, guess what?" she exclaimed, still beaming.
"I got an A+ on my test! And now I have the highest GPA in the whole class for this subject! You wouldn't believe how many compliments I got from the teacher!" she said excitedly, waving the test sheet that was marked with a bright, bold red grade.
In that moment Delphine's mother was busy putting food on plates to be served on the laid lunch table.
"Good job, sweetheart! I'm so proud of you! Yesterday you were so stressed about it and you barely ate dinner.
Now go wash your hands and come sit down. I'm sure you're starving!"
Delphine nodded towards her mother and did as she said.
She had been studying for that test for days, since when she got home from school until dinner time.
"Honey, you haven't even had a snack yet!" her mother would say every time she entered her room, bringing her a tray with fruit juice and snacks.
May was approaching its end, and the school year was drawing to a close.
With each passing day, the sunlight lingered a bit longer and the weather grew warmer, making studying all the more difficult.
In the neighborhood, children spent their afternoons playing football outside, often prompted to go inside only when their mothers would shout at them from the balcony for dinner.
Delphine found it difficult to concentrate on her studies in the midst of the children's screaming, chasing, laughing, and arguing that she could hear from her window.
Whenever their ball landed in her family's garden, she gently reminded them to move further away.
Delphine was truly determined to get high grades and pushed herself to the limit.
In that time of the year, studying was her only priority, and she spent most of her time and energy to do it.
She wasn't just trying to make her parents proud, but also challenging herself to prove that with hard work and willpower she could achieve anything.
However, she also did it for her parents, who had done so much for her and deserved nothing but the best.
Delphine's adoption from a foreign country in Eastern Europe was not an easy transition.
During her childhood she struggled to blend in with the local people whose look was different from hers.
Due to her physical differences, Delphine became the victim of negative comments and treatment from her peers at school.
Her natural light-blonde hair and porcelain-white skin were only appreciated years later.
She was often left feeling isolated and lonely, a feeling that her innate shyness contributed to develope.
Not being able to make friends only added to Delphine's existing feelings of being an outsider.
But, amidst all these adversities, Delphine's parents were always there to support her.
Their unconditional love and affection became her safe haven during the trying times.
They reassured her that she was a unique and special person and that she should be proud of who she was.
However, her look wasn't the the only reason that made her feel different.
Since she was a young girl, Delphine possessed certain abilities that made other children uncomfortable or even scared of her.
Those abilities were beyond her control and always occurred spontaneously.
The most remarkable one was her extraordinary influence over water and other liquids, which seemed to be affected by her emotions.
During her childhood, her parents enrolled her in swimming lessons.
To everyone's surprise, her instructor quickly realized that Delphine was already a proficient swimmer, far surpassing her peers.
One day, a young boy from her swimming class laughed at her new swimsuit, mocking her in front of his friends.
Delphine simply looked at him without uttering a word as he entered the pool.
In that moment, waves erupted around the young boy, transforming the calm swimming pool into a tumultuous ocean confined to his presence.
It only stopped when the instructor, annoyed by the child's lament, tried to get close to them to check what was going on and yelled "Hey, what's up down there?"
From then on, that child and his friends were so scared they even avoided meeting Delphine's gaze.
Similar incidents occurred with water bottles, taps and fountains.
Even when Delphine managed to play with other children in the park and a minor inconvenience that upset her happened, the fountains nearby were starting to leak on their own and they got scared.
Sometimes, it was not the child who found it weird, but their concerned mothers who intervened, urging their own children to find playmates elsewhere.
Delphine grew accustomed to hearing phrases like "Sweetie, leave that child alone and go play with someone else!" from the mothers of her playmates.
And every time, Delphine silently continued playing alone.
In elementary school the situation improved.
There, she met her first friend: Dorian.
He had become her best friend since the first day and they had remained very close throughout middle and high school.
He had consistently defended her from all negative comments and negative individuals, harbouring a protective instinct that no one else had ever shown towards her, aside from her parents.
During the most toughest years of her existence, Dorian's unwavering presence contributed to create a tapestry of good memories, even among the trials and difficulties.
It was the proof of the transformative power of genuine love and affection.
"Thank you mom, this pasta was so delicious!" said Delphine, her words laced with genuine appreciation.
She cleared her plate and kissed her mother's cheek, as she walked towards her room.
There, she made her way over to her desk.
A long afternoon of homework was attending her.
With a sigh, she turned on her computer, which took a few seconds to boot up, and she began leafing through the pages of her agenda to check what was due for the next day.
Suddenly, Delphine's phone vibrated, and the screen lit up to display a message from Dorian.
"Remember to send me your notes!" he wrote, adding a laughing emoji.
Delphine grinned, mirth twinkling in her eyes, and answered "If only you were as punctual in class as you are when you need my notes, you wouldn't have to ask all the time."
She set her phone down on the table, her mind already returning to her studies when another notification alert burst through her concentration.
Dorian had sent her a picture from the dock.
The vibrant hues of gold and amber danced upon the rippling water, creating a mesmerizing play of light and shadow.
The sky, painted in a captivating shade of blue, stretched endlessly and its expanse was adorned with wisps of white clouds that seemed to dance in harmony with the gentle breeze.
The sun's radiant beams, the tranquil water, and the ethereal sky all harmonized to create a breathtaking tableau.
Fishing and the sea held a special place in Dorian's heart: he was the proud son of a fisherman.
To him, they were more than mere pastimes; they were his very essence, a passion deeply ingrained within his being and inherited from generations before him.
From a young age, Dorian had accompanied his father on fishing expeditions, learning the art and craft of navigating and deciphering the sea's secrets.
He absorbed every lesson his father imparted, from the art of reading the currents to the delicate balance of patience and intuition he needed to lure the bounties of the sea.
The sea became his sanctuary, a place where he could find solace and lose himself in the rhythmic ebb and flow of the tides.
It whispered its secrets to him, sharing stories of forgotten treasures and ancient tales lost in time.
Dorian felt a profound sense of belonging, as if he had been born not only of land but also of the sea itself.
While others may have daydreamed with their heads in the clouds, Dorian's thoughts were firmly anchored in the depths of the ocean.
Without Delphine's insistence on finishing his studies, Dorian would have dropped out of school long ago.
Although some teachers found his temper unbearable, others recognized his intelligence, and with Delphine's help and his own cunning, Dorian kept going.
During the summer holidays, Dorian and Delphine would take long boat rides.
Dorian would impart his vast knowledge of the sea to Delphine, guiding her into a realm where the secrets of the waters unraveled.
While Delphine's heart was deeply intertwined with the sea, her affinity for its vast expanse extended far beyond the realm of fishing.
The sea was her confidant, her home and her eternal muse.
In Delphine's eyes, it was a kindred spirit, a companion in her journey through life.
However, when it came to fishing, Delphine's perspective took a different turn.
While she acknowledged the necessity of the practice for sustenance and livelihood, she couldn't bring herself to see fish as mere provisions.
In her eyes, they were sentient beings, fellow inhabitants of the sea's enchanting realm.
To her, they were companions, their graceful movements and vibrant colours captivating her imagination.
Every summer, Dorian and Delphine hanged out on Dorian father' boat.
After their long boat rides they would dive into the water, play and splash each other, and at sunset they would lay down on two towels on the beach, looking up at the sky and talking about their dreams, hopes, and plans for the future.
Delphine shook her head and returned to reality, knowing that it was time to concentrate on studying.
The holidays would come with all of their pleasures, but for now, she needed to focus on her studies.