He walked into his bedroom and pulled off his shirt, glancing at himself in the mirror. The anger drained from his face when he noticed his necklace was missing.
He reached for his neck in panic. “No way…” He lifted his head, staring at his reflection, trying to remember where he could have lost it. If it had fallen off, wouldn’t he have noticed? When did it happen? Where?
He left the room and checked the table, then inside his helmet. Next, the bathroom. Then the kitchen.
When he still couldn’t find it, he grabbed his keys and went outside. He circled his motorcycle, scanning the ground around it. He ran his hands through his hair, breathing faster.
He went back upstairs, but he already knew it was pointless. He never took it off. It could have fallen while he was riding. It could be anywhere. Broken into pieces.
He dropped his keys onto the couch and pressed his hands to his face.
Ody returned to his apartment, smaller than Mano’s. He lived alone, though Anna often stayed over, her college just nearby.
His living room was bright, with large windows that let in plenty of light. A soft brown sofa sat in front of a wooden coffee table. The white walls were covered with photos of his friends from trips and basketball games. The kitchen was small with white cabinets. A table with two chairs stood in the middle, where he usually ate.
The bathroom was simple, with white tiles and a small shelf above the sink holding his essentials. His bed had white sheets. A large poster of a basketball team hung near the desk, which was piled with pharmacy textbooks, notes, and his laptop.
He took out the zip bag with the necklace, turning it in his hands as he tried to figure out how to find Mano. Katerina wasn’t an option, and they had no mutual friends. He knew almost nothing, just his department. But he couldn’t just stand outside the building and wait.
The next morning, he lay in bed and grabbed his phone, texting his girlfriend.What happened with Katerina?
Anna: Mano slept with someone else. She’s done with him
He frowned, staring at the screen.How am I supposed to return his necklace? Can you ask Katerina for his number?
Anna: No way. You should’ve seen her. She doesn’t even want to hear his name
He exhaled, running a hand through his hair.Yeah but I have to find him somehow
Anna: Wait. I’ll check her followers
A few minutes passed before another message appeared.
I didn’t find him in Katerina’s followers, but I checked a mutual friend
Found a Mano with black hair
That’s him right?
A link followed.
3 posts. 3,543 followers. 34 following.
Mano Jones
Music Studies NKUA
After reading the bio, Ody scrolled through the three photos. One showed him on his motorcycle, helmet on, face hidden. Another, blurred and distant, caught him turning away. A studio lit only by a single lamp was the only other image. His profile picture was different, taken from behind, slightly turned, helmet in hand, just a hint of his profile visible.
Odysseus: Yeah that’s him
Anna: I’m a genius,a sunglasses emoji added at the end.
He opened the chat and texted.Hey Mano do you remember me? [12:26]
The notification sound went off while Mano was in the middle of a game on his PlayStation. He ignored it, like he ignored most of them. Only after finishing the level did he reach for his phone.
Odysseus Stavrinos: Hey Mano do you remember me?
