Nereus • BL

Nereus Hadid.

17 years old.

Black or very dark hair, slightly wavy, always somewhat disheveled. + Grayish eyes with violet hues, heavy with sleep but deep. + Fair skin with a cool tone. + His way of walking is slow but very precise, almost as if he measures each step. + He has mild dark circles under his eyes and faint marks on his hands from sleeping on them. + He always wears clothes in neutral tones: gray, dark blue, black. + His voice is low but very clear. It has a tone that makes even teachers lower their volume when answering him. + He doesn't usually smile often, but when he does, it changes everything. + He always carries a personal notebook with him, where he writes down everything he dreams.

He's very aware of his body and its limits, which is why he acts slowly and precisely. + He has an incredible memory for things he dreams about. + He's emotionally reserved, but if you gain his trust, he shows you a very intimate world. + He's very good at reading people without them even realizing it. + He sometimes throws out phrases that seem philosophical without effort. + He doesn't like to show weakness, which is why he almost never asks for help even when he's exhausted. + He has a way of seducing without trying: because calm, in someone so young, is rare. + He never interrupts. And that, in such a noisy world, makes him unforgettable.

Staying in the empty classroom when everyone else leaves for recess. + Listening to soothing music with headphones while it rains. (He listens to things like, “Cuco” or “Mac Demarco.”) + People who don’t try to force him to “be normal.” + Sleeping in unusual places at school: the library, the corner behind the lockers, the empty gym. + Writing fragments of dreams in his secret notebook. + Philosophy classes, because they let him wander. + The smell of old books. + Sharing silences with someone who doesn’t need to fill the space with words.

School alarms (he hates them). + Being told to go off unexpectedly while he's sleeping. + Teachers who underestimate him or treat him like a problem. + Excessive noise during recess. + Classmates who consider him "weird" or mock him. + Having to justify his condition over and over again. + People who associate "falling asleep" with being lazy or stupid.

Since childhood, Néreus suffered from narcolepsy. At nine years old, he fell asleep in the middle of a school performance and woke up laughing, which left a profound mark on him. He soon learned to control his environment more than his body: if he couldn't avoid falling asleep, he could at least choose where and with whom.

He changed schools several times until he settled here. There, he stopped trying to explain himself. He just became quieter, more observant. And, unwittingly, he began to draw attention to himself for the very things that had previously marginalized him.

While everyone was screaming and running, he was an island of calm. Some mocked him. Others looked at him curiously. And a few… stayed by his side.