"Hey, Mason! Wake up!" Nana's voice thundered from outside the room, piercing through the silence and jolting Mason out of his slumber. Her loud call was immediately followed by a series of forceful bangs on the door, which only added to the clamour.
Groggily, Mason stretched his limbs on the bed. In an attempt to block out Nana's boisterous voice, he grabbed a pillow and covered his head with it, hoping to muffle the noise.
Despite not being fully awake, Mason's senses were alerted to a strange sensation around his neck. It felt as though something was constricting, causing him a degree of discomfort. His sleepy mind quickly jumped to the conclusion that it was the earpiece from his music player, which must have gotten tangled around his neck while he slept.
This annoying thing! He thought to himself, reaching up to unwrap it from his neck, and carelessly tossing it aside.
Mason had recently achieved a significant milestone – graduating from high school – just the previous week. Having been an abandoned child at the orphanage, he had never known his actual birthday. However, Mrs. Robinson, the kind-hearted woman who had taken him under her wing and whom he now regarded as his mother, had selected a day for him to celebrate his birthday like anyone else. That special day was now just four days away.
Mason's long hair, which had always been a distinguishing feature, cascaded down his face, partially obscuring it. Mrs. Robinson had never allowed him to cut it short, as she believed it was a responsible and respectable hairstyle. Instead, she would meticulously trim it for him whenever it grew too long.
While her styling preferences might have been considered old-fashioned by some, Mason had grown accustomed to her strange taste. In fact, the entire household had learned to accept her outdated sense of style, even if they didn't always fully understand it.
Throughout his high school years, Mason's life had been relatively smooth sailing. Bearing the same surname as the Robinsons had its advantages, as he was widely regarded as Nana's brother. Nana, true to her promise, had always been there to protect him from bullies, ensuring that he never had to face any major challenges alone.
"Mason! Mummy sent us on an errand!" Nana's voice boomed in once more, shattering the silence and immediately galvanizing Mason into action.
Her words had a profound effect on him, as they should. He swiftly sprang to life, his movements fueled by a deep-seated desire to avoid offending Nana's parents. With his impending adulthood looming and his time at the Robinsons' house drawing to a close, Mason was more mindful than ever of his actions and their potential consequences.
He quickly stepped down from his bed and hastened toward the door. As he swung the door open, he was met with the sight of Nana standing before him, her hands planted firmly on her hips in a gesture of mock annoyance.
"Why are you still sleeping at this time?" she chided. "It's already 7:22 a.m.! Mummy asked us to go to the convenience store to buy some…" Her words were followed by a brief pause, during which her gaze wandered to Mason's slender physique. "Where's your necklace?"
"Where do you think?" Mason sneered. However, his confident facade crumbled as his gaze dropped to his chest, only to discover that the necklace was no longer around his neck. A look of shock and alarm crossed his face immediately. "What the f...!"
He rapidly pivoted and rushed back into his small room, frantically searching every nook and cranny for the necklace. For as long as he could remember, the necklace had been an integral part of him and had never left his neck before. Why had it left now, after all these years? Was something amiss with him? Could this be a bad omen?
Mason's mind continued to race with a multitude of questions. But his introspection was abruptly interrupted by Nana's excited voice.
"This is it!" she shouted, her index finger pointing dramatically to his bed.
Mason's gaze followed Nana's direction, and there it was, his necklace lying motionlessly on his bed. The sight of the necklace sparked a realization within him - the sensation he had experienced earlier, which he had attributed to an earpiece tightening around his neck, was actually caused by the necklace.
But this realization only led to more questions. How was he able to remove the necklace from his neck? Was something wrong with it? Mason's thoughts were mirrored by Nana, who picked up the necklace and began to inspect it.
"Is something wrong with your necklace?" she asked, concerned. "Why did it come off your neck?"
As Mason watched Nana handle the necklace, his eyes widened in fear. "Don't touch…" he began to say. His initial instinct was to warn her away, to prevent her from touching the necklace, but his words trailed off as he remembered that the necklace never harmed the Robinsons.
In fact, the Robinsons were the only ones who seemed immune to the necklace's wrath. Mr. Robinson had taken him to the hospital six years ago, Mrs. Robinson had treated him with kindness and compassion, and Nana had been his loyal friend and confidante.
The necklace, which had always been fiercely protective of Mason, seemed to sense the goodness and kindness in the Robinsons' hearts and had never harmed them.
Mason gazed at the necklace, now temporarily freed from his neck, and couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of his stomach. A sense of foreboding washed over him, giving him a feeling that something was amiss - either with him or the necklace. The sensation was akin to losing a part of himself, leaving him feeling incomplete and vulnerable.
Without hesitation, Mason lurched forward, his hand instinctively reaching out as he reclaimed the necklace from Nana. He grasped it firmly and secured it around his neck, feeling an immediate relief. With the necklace back in its rightful place, Mason turned his attention to the task at hand. He grabbed the cloth hanging on his study chair and began to wear it.
Nana remained quiet, watching Mason's necklace as he covered it with his cloth.
"Let's go before Mom starts to get annoyed," Mason said after wearing it, urging Nana to hurry along.
As they made their way across the bridge, Mason couldn't overcome the feeling as his thoughts began to swirl, threatening to consume him. Nana, sensing his unease, attempted to divert his attention and lighten the mood.
"What are your plans for college?" she asked.
Mason glanced at her and let out a deep sigh before responding, "I'm not going to college. I want to become rich and take care of you and your parents."
Nana's eyes narrowed, and there was a mixture of surprise and disdain on her face. "How are you going to become rich if you don't go to school?" she said.
"Is there any rule that states a person must go to school before they can become rich?" Mason said. "People go to school because they want knowledge, and as for me, I already have enough knowledge to achieve what I desire."
Nana's gaze narrowed, her eyes scrutinizing Mason's face. She seemed to be searching for any signs of deceit or mirth, but she let out a deep sigh after confirming he had a serious look on his face.
"And what exactly do you plan to do with this knowledge you claim to have?"
Mason's face returned to its normal position. "Investment. I'm going to become the king of investment," he declared. He glanced at Nana, and a lopsided grin appeared on his lips. "You know I've never lost a bet before. My instincts are always right."
Nana raised an eyebrow and slowly nodded. "Well… that's true, but do you think that's enough?" she asked, her expression turning doubtful. "This is reality, Mason. Instincts aren't going to take you very far."
"Don't worry, when I become a billionaire, I'll hire you to be my secretary," said Mason.
Nana's face contorted in a scowl instantly, and she lurched at Mason aggressively. "Forget it! I'll be a trillionaire by then!" she snapped, raising the corner of her lips in a sneer.
Just then, her gaze shifted, and her eyes caught sight of familiar figures approaching. She quickly positioned herself in front of Mason, attempting to block him from seeing the approaching group.
However, she was too short to effectively obscure his view, and Mason eventually caught sight of the people Nana was trying to hide.
People who would definitely stir up and chatter his mind.