1. Kyler

There goes that idiot, I thought, watching Brandon from afar. In reality, I cared little about what he did; I had decided long ago that I wanted nothing more to do with him. However, at that precise moment, I realized something much more irritating: I was the real idiot, unable to get him out of my head, as if a part of me was tied to him in a way that I couldn't understand or didn't want to admit.

That idiot's name was Brandon. We shared a semester at the space flight academy. While he lived surrounded by luxury thanks to his wealthy family, occupying one of the best hangars in the station, I had arrived there after years of hard work as a plumber and more luck than skill. My presence there was almost an accident, but I had passed the exams against all odds.

That disparity between our lives was reflected in everything. Brandon always looked at me from on high, with that air of superiority that made him so unbearable. From our first encounter, he made it clear to me that I wasn't up to his level. He didn't even bother to hide his contempt, especially during practice, when he would push me away from his squadron as if I were a threat to his status.

I didn't blame him entirely; after all, he was not only immensely rich but also devilishly handsome. It wasn't just our class that fell at his feet, but practically half the station. His perfectly tousled brown hair, his tanned skin that always seemed to have been under a sun that no longer existed, his face carved by the gods, and that height that made anyone feel insignificant. If I ever had to compare him to something, it would be Apollo, the god of perfection according to the myths I had read in some forgotten corner of the academy.

That night, I was returning to my hangar after drinking with my squadron mates at the bar. The alcohol had filled me with a bravery that never belonged to me in sobriety. And there he was, Brandon, the idiot, moving clumsily as he tried to sneak onto the launch platform. I watched him, curious, as he tried not to be discovered, not realizing that I was alert, as was the rest of my squadron.

"I'll take care of him," I said, inflated with cheap pride, trying to approach where he was.

My companions chuckled, although some, the more sober ones, let out complaints and warnings.

"Leave him alone," said one of my teammates. "I've heard his hands shake during flight. They're going to expel him in a few weeks."

The usual topic of conversation about Brandon surfaced again. We all knew that, although he was a terrible pilot, he excelled in theoretical classes. His strategies were brilliant, but that wasn't enough to make him a good pilot. And yet, he managed to get his squadron to meet objectives, staying within the academy through sheer cunning. This time, I swore I would find out what he was up to and expose him.

"Don't say anything," I finally ordered, as the squadron dispersed, making it clear that they didn't share my enthusiasm for chasing Brandon.

I ventured alone towards the boarding area, following his steps as if I were a detective in some cheap novel. As I approached, I saw him enter his ship, nervous, looking in all directions as if he expected to be discovered at any moment. I managed to hide in time behind one of the nearby metal structures, holding my breath until I heard the sound of the hatch closing.

For a moment, I thought he was just there to pick up something forgotten or make some adjustment to the log, but then I heard the engines start. What the hell was he doing? Without thinking, I ran towards the ship and entered the universal security code before it took off. The hatch opened with a mechanical whisper, and I jumped inside just as the ship began to rise.

I closed the hatch behind me and took a second to absorb what I had just done. The ship was several meters off the ground and calmly ascending into space. The strangest thing of all was that Brandon hadn't noticed my presence. If he had, he would have received a warning from the ship about the open hatch and would have been forced to abort takeoff.

I moved stealthily towards the command center. Brandon was sitting in front of the controls, motionless, as if hypnotized by the vastness of space unfolding before us. Stars and planets aligned on the horizon, and the space station began to disappear behind us, along with the remnants of a fractured moon that surrounded it.

My heart was pounding. Seeing Brandon pilot was disconcerting. I knew he trembled in flight situations, but at that moment, he seemed calm, following procedures to the letter, as if every movement was calculated.

"Well, you've really gotten yourself into trouble," I said, breaking the silence. Brandon jumped in his seat, momentarily losing control of the ship.

The impact threw me against a wall, but I managed to grab onto a cover before falling to the floor. Brandon quickly regained control, stabilizing the ship.

"Are you an idiot or what's wrong with you?" he spat at me with rage. "You're in trouble too. They're going to wonder how you snuck in and think we're accomplices."

"I'll just say I was following you," I replied sarcastically. "Turn around, and we'll sort this out before it's too late."

Brandon was silent for a moment, not knowing how to react. He knew he expected me to be scared, but my attitude was disconcerting him.

"I stole a ship," he finally blurted out, his voice filled with desperation. "Do you think your alibi will sound convincing?"

For a second, I thought about hitting him, about unleashing all my frustration on him. But before I could move a muscle, the ship began to wobble, losing stability. My stomach churned, and I fell to the floor.

Brandon, for his part, struggled with the controls, talking to the autopilot, trying to correct the trajectory. Then everything went out of control. The ship spun around several times until gravity disappeared and we were floating inside. Finally, the movement ceased, and the lights went out. We were in silence. Everything was silent.

I looked ahead. Brandon had lost consciousness at some point, his body hanging in the pilot's seat, motionless. But the most terrifying thing of all wasn't that. The stars, the planets, the solar system... had disappeared. We were somewhere lost in the vacuum of space.

I ran towards the controls, but before I could do anything, my stomach betrayed me. I had no choice but to head to the ship's bathroom and vomit all the alcohol I had ingested. The dizziness was unbearable. When I finally felt well enough to return, Brandon was still unconscious. I approached him, touched him. His skin was still warm, his heart still beating. I stayed for a moment, observing his relaxed face, free of the usual arrogance. Without wanting to, a strange sensation settled in my chest. Why the hell couldn't I just hate him and be done with it?

"Shit," I thought, realizing we were in a much bigger mess than I could have ever imagined.