As Mason's gaze met the emerging group of girls, a wave of sadness and embarrassment washed over him, threatening to engulf him. The group consisted of the most beautiful and sought-after girls in town, the ones who had captivated the hearts of many young men. Among them stood out the captivating and stunning Malia, the undisputed queen bee of the group.
Malia was Mason's long-time crush, a girl he had harbored feelings for since the moment he met her two years ago. They had attended the same high school, and as far as Mason could recall, Malia had reached out to him during their second year because of his intelligence, and they had become acquaintances, though not close friends.
However, on their graduation day, Mason mustered the courage to ask Malia out on a date. The memory of that day still lingered, a painful reminder of rejection, embarrassment, and ridicule.
Malia's friends had mocked him mercilessly, leaving him feeling humiliated and defeated. He had beaten a hasty retreat, fleeing the school grounds to escape the jeering crowd and save what was left of his dignity.
Nana, aware of the emotional scars Mason still bore from that fateful day, had made a conscious effort to steer him clear of Malia and her friends. However, her attempts at avoidance had been thwarted this time, leaving Mason face-to-face with the girl who had captured his heart, only to crush it.
As Mason made eye contact with the approaching girls, the memories of that fateful graduation day came flooding back, completely eclipsing the strange phenomenon of the necklace. His feet seemed rooted to the spot, as if an invisible force was holding him down, rendering him immobile. The girls, now close enough to make out their faces, let out a synchronized hiss, their laughter echoing with sadistic pleasure.
Nana, ever the fierce protector, sprang into action.
"Stop staring at him and face where you're going, bitches!" she snapped, her voice sharp as a whip, a clear warning to the girls.
They, well aware of Nana's notorious temper and willingness to fight, hastily lifted their gazes from Mason and quickened their pace. Still, they couldn't resist stealing short, surreptitious glances at him as they muttered among themselves, the whispers that sounded even more annoying than speaking to his face.
Nana turned to Mason, her face softening as she took in his visibly shaken state.
"You should forget about her already," she said, her gentle but firm voice attempting to deflect the awkwardness of the situation. "There are lots of girls in this town, and I can set you up with one of them."
Mason managed to muster a smile, his lips curling upward in a smirk. "What do you take me for? Set up your older brother? Don't be silly!" he bantered.
"Who says you're the older one? You're just two weeks ahead of me!" Nana retorted.
Mason grinned mischievously at her. "Well, do you think those two weeks can be bought somewhere?" he teased.
"Whatever! You're just too annoying!" Nana shot back, her face hardening for a moment before she turned and stormed off.
Mason chuckled, feeling the tension he'd experienced earlier slowly vanishing. Nana had a way of doing that – she was like a medicine that could heal his emotional wounds, and a trigger that could set off a cascade of feelings. The bond they shared was stronger than any real sibling relationship, forged through six years of love, trust, and mutual support.
Finally, Mason and Nana completed their errands, and they walked back home, chatting and laughing together. The warm sunshine and gentle breeze seemed to match their carefree mood, and they reveled in each other's company.
However, their joy didn't last, as they soon arrived home to find a strange woman stepping out of their house. The look on their parents' faces was somber as they returned inside, and Mason could tell that something was amiss.
As he was about to step inside, he noticed Raymond sitting down in front of his house, his gaze mirroring their parents'. It was only three years ago that he had been planning his entry into college, and now, it seemed like just a blink of an eye had passed. Raymond had returned home to spend his spring break with his family.
Mason retraced his steps, allowing Nana to go inside first, and he headed toward Raymond instead.
"Is something wrong?" he asked in a whisper, his eyes locked on Raymond's. "Why's everyone looking so sad?"
"You wouldn't understand anyway, you're too young to be worried about it," said Raymond dismissively, standing up to leave.
However, Mason remained persistent, his eyes locked on Raymond's with a pleading expression.
"Please tell me, please!" he implored in desperation as he grasped Raymond's hand.
Raymond's resolve crumbled under Mason's persuasive gaze, and he blurted out the truth. "Our house is about to be sold, and we only have a few weeks to pack our belongings," he revealed.
Mason's eyes widened as he processed the bombshell.
"That lady you saw earlier was the landlady's daughter," Raymond continued. "Her mother has passed away, and she needs money to prepare for the funeral. She's returned half of the yearly rent we paid."
Mason's jaw dropped as the weight of the situation sank in. He couldn't imagine how they would cope with this unexpected turn of events. He stood transfixed, his mind reeling with thoughts and questions, as Raymond turned and went back inside.
Desperate to find a solution to the crisis, Mason glanced down at his necklace, his eyes searching for answers. Suddenly, a spark of determination ignited within him. He set off like a hare, his feet pounding the ground heavily as he sprinted toward a nearby jewelry shop.
The sign above the shop read "Shoko Jewels and Treasures," and the windows were filled with an assortment of glittering jewels and precious stones. Mason burst through the door, his eyes scanning the shop until they landed on the owner, a man likely in his 50s with a kind face.
As the shop owner caught sight of Mason, his eyes widened in amazement.
"Hey, Mason! Been a while," he exclaimed, a warm smile spreading across his face.
Mason, still gasping for breath from his frantic sprint, carefully removed the necklace from his neck. To his surprise, it didn't resist or refuse to leave his neck, like it sensed his desperation.
Mason placed the necklace on the table, his eyes locking onto the shop owner, popularly known as Shoko.
"I want to sell it today, please," he said after he had regained his breath.
Although the fear of losing the necklace's supposed protection still lingered within him, his desperation to save his family from ending up on the streets outweighed his apprehensions.
Shoko looked more surprised, his eyes scanning Mike's face to decipher his seriousness.
"Are you sure about this, Mason?" he asked, his voice gentle but probing. "I've asked you several times to sell this necklace and become a rich man, but you refused. Are you sure you won't regret selling it?"
Mason nodded frantically.
"I'm desperately in need of money right now, I mean, a large sum of money," he replied, his words tumbling out of his mouth in a frantic rush.
Shoko's gaze lingered on Mason's face for a moment before he turned his attention to the necklace. He carefully picked it up and examined the pendant using his magnifying glass. After a full minute of intense scrutiny, he let out a soft sigh and turned to Mason.
"Can you come back in the afternoon?" he said. "I'll need to check the current market value of the necklace and prepare the necessary funds." He paused, his eyes darting back to Mason's. "Can you come back around 3 p.m.?"
Mason let out a deep, resigned breath and nodded.
"Can I trust you, Shoko?" he asked, his gaze seeming to bore into the man's very soul, as if searching for any hint of deception.
Shoko's face turned unreadable, perhaps holding in his emotions.
"Listen to me, Mason," he finally replied after a moment of silence. "If I were to swindle someone in this world, which is not possible, you'd be the last person I'd ever think of." He leaned forward. "But I'm not that type of person; I don't repay kindness with evil."
He dropped his magnifying glass and sat down in the chair behind the counter. "Remember two years ago when I was having difficulty getting things started at this location? You're the one who helped me with my loads and shared my flyers," he said.
"That's different; you paid me each time I assisted you," Mason replied almost in a whisper, his face bowed to the ground.
Shoko chuckled slightly and leaned in again. He stretched his hand forward and raised Mason's chin up. "The money I paid you was little, and most times you even rejected it. You really helped me back then, and I'll never do you harm. So trust me and let me do my job."
With that, Shoko sat back down, his eyes never leaving Mason's face. Mason nodded slowly in resignation. He turned and left the shop, heading back home with a mix of emotions swirling inside him.
The thought of the necklace hit him again, and he knew he'd made a difficult decision – one that would result in losing a part of himself and a great inheritance: a clue to finding his true identity.
The weight of his choice settled heavily upon him, leaving him with a sense of trepidation about what the future held.