- Excerpts -
A glimpse into where it begins... and unravels.
To the average onlooker,
it was just a necklace.
Whatever beauty it possessed had little to do with the way it shone, for it rarely showed the kind of glimmer expected from gold. It was simple, save for the small pendant suspended from it. The pendant was in the shape of a teardrop with a red garnet at its centre. The garnet was marked with a Chinese-style engraving of a bird. It was a gift from parents Haruna couldn’t remember. Had she remembered them, surely, they would have meant everything.
Maybe then the necklace would be less sentimental.
Maybe then it would just be a necklace.
Maybe all of that would be true, if they hadn’t been taken from her — cut from her life as though they’d never been...
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Scene 1: They were assigned to work together.
That was the first mistake.
“This could not… CAN NOT be happening.” It was happening. The room’s silence was deafening, save for the steady hum of a ceiling fan needlessly left on. Arms-length apart, they avoided each other’s eyes, poring soundlessly over their dog-eared copies of The Merchant of Venice and blank sheets of ruled paper. It had to have been at least thirty minutes by now. Haruna stole a glance at Ryu. He checked his watch for the second time. “It’s only been thirteen minutes,” he muttered, as though he’d read her mind. He dragged his palms down his face, then dropped his elbows onto the table. Haruna sighed. “Okay, well—I was rethinking the PowerPoint idea. We should do something more creative. Maybe a short drama based on the final acts? You could be Shylock, say a line from the court scene, and then I come in from off-stage and narrate.” She gave him an expectant look. Ryu folded his arms. “Not going to work. A two-person group can’t do it like that. And I’m not doing any stupid acting.” Haruna crossed her arms, mirroring him. “What do you mean it can’t work? Then what great ideas have you come up with, Einstein?” Ryu shot her a glare. “We can just write a report. Then do the PowerPoint like you said before.” She rolled her eyes. “Forget that. Lee told us to be creative. We do something basic—no matter how good it is—and it’s a B grade, tops.” Ryu let out a sharp, disbelieving breath. “You’re ridiculous. A B is bad? Whatever. I’m not doing it.” “You know, it’s too bad if a pass is all you’re aiming for in life,” Haruna snapped, leaning forward. “But some of us actually have a future to think about. Honestly, I don’t even know why I agreed to this. Working on my own would’ve been the better decision.” The words hung in the air. Too sharp. Too honest. Too late to take back. Ryu’s expression hardened. Slowly, he uncrossed his arms. Haruna slapped her hands over her mouth. “Here’s an idea,” he said coolly. “You do the acting. Seems like you’re already pretty damn good at it.” He shoved his chair back, the legs scraping harshly against the floor. “I need a smoke.”
Scene 2: She went looking for him.
That was the second mistake.
Haruna lingered at the dead end of a quiet street, out of breath and out of options. She’d gone at least two blocks from Vangelis Diner searching for Ryu, certain she’d seen him turn this way—but somewhere along the line, he’d vanished. Just like he always did.
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Scene 1: They were assigned to work together. That was the first mistake.
“This could not… CAN NOT be happening.” It was happening. The room’s silence was deafening, save for the steady hum of a ceiling fan needlessly left on. Arms-length apart, they avoided each other’s eyes, poring soundlessly over their dog-eared copies of The Merchant of Venice and blank sheets of ruled paper. It had to have been at least thirty minutes by now. Haruna stole a glance at Ryu. He checked his watch for the second time. “It’s only been thirteen minutes,” he muttered, as though he’d read her mind. He dragged his palms down his face, then dropped his elbows onto the table. Haruna sighed. “Okay, well—I was rethinking the PowerPoint idea. We should do something more creative. Maybe a short drama based on the final acts? You could be Shylock, say a line from the court scene, and then I come in from off-stage and narrate.” She gave him an expectant look. Ryu folded his arms. “Not going to work. A two-person group can’t do it like that. And I’m not doing any stupid acting.” Haruna crossed her arms, mirroring him. “What do you mean it can’t work? Then what great ideas have you come up with, Einstein?” Ryu shot her a glare. “We can just write a report. Then do the PowerPoint like you said before.” She rolled her eyes. “Forget that. Lee told us to be creative. We do something basic—no matter how good it is—and it’s a B grade, tops.” Ryu let out a sharp, disbelieving breath. “You’re ridiculous. A B is bad? Whatever. I’m not doing it.” “You know, it’s too bad if a pass is all you’re aiming for in life,” Haruna snapped, leaning forward. “But some of us actually have a future to think about. Honestly, I don’t even know why I agreed to this. Working on my own would’ve been the better decision.” The words hung in the air. Too sharp. Too honest. Too late to take back. Ryu’s expression hardened. Slowly, he uncrossed his arms. Haruna slapped her hands over her mouth. “Here’s an idea,” he said coolly. “You do the acting. Seems like you’re already pretty damn good at it.” He shoved his chair back, the legs scraping harshly against the floor. “I need a smoke.”
Scene 2: She went looking for him. That was the second mistake.
Haruna lingered at the dead end of a quiet street, out of breath and out of options. She’d gone at least two blocks from Vangelis Diner searching for Ryu, certain she’d seen him turn this way—but somewhere along the line, he’d vanished. Just like he always did.
About Melissa Abigail
Welcome! I’m Half Sans Halo, an author deeply committed to exploring the realms of fiction and imagination. My writings reflect personal experiences, creativity, and a zest for life. I draw inspiration from the world around me, creating characters and stories that invite readers to reflect and dream. I am thrilled to share my literary world with you, inviting you to embark on this exciting journey together.
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Melissa Abigail
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