Pieces

Prologue

This is a new story with a twist.
What if life played Sang a different hand?
What if Sang made different decisions?
What if?...

Many thanks to Ruth and Annie for content and Beta reading.
Also, many thanks to B and Melissa for reading and commenting. 
I appreciate all the support, that has allowed me to try to write something different. :) 

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Sang revelled in her freedom. For the first time in her life she was free. The new beginning of university life ignited a fire and a passion within her. The unexpected bonus of a small apartment that accompanied her scholarship was the fuel to that fire.
She was free.
 Deliriously happy and free. Her choices were hers. What she ate, where she went, what time she stayed up to, what clothes she wore, who her friends were...those decisions finally belonged to her.

Sang opened the doors from her little apartment and breathed in the cleansing ocean air. She had chosen her major in English. Accepting a surprise, but very much welcome, scholarship in the university of California, San Diego; everything was finally falling into place for once. Her little apartment overlooked the ocean and Sang found this to be very soothing and peaceful.
 A new start.

Sang heard a muted bustling from the apartment next door. Her classes started in another two weeks. Sang delighted in being able to accept an offer to move into her apartment sooner rather than later; this gave her plenty of time to prepare for the forthcoming year. She was eager and so it seems was her new neighbour.

Sang found herself settling into a natural routine. The scholarship was also accompanied by a generous bursary that meant she didn't need to find employment to support herself. The university had been quite obscure when she delved further into the origin of financial donation. So, being able to luxuriate in the warm evenings, she sat on her little balcony, enjoying the privacy its walls provided. With food and drink aplenty, she spent long hours mesmerised by the tales her favourite authors told. She delved into stories and more often than not had no recollection of the days passing.

It was evening now and the gentle sounds of the oceans caressed Sang's ears, as a lover whispering in the dark of night. The stars shone brightly from the heavens, yet Sang did not feel the slight chill in the air. Serenity wrapped its loving arms around her in a chaste embrace.
A lonely guitar began to strum indecisive chords. Testing its voice to the infinite night sky.
Sang rose from her chair, awakened by a new presence. She leaned against the railings of the balcony and tried to see where the sound emanated from.
 A fragrant smell of sweet spice caressed her senses. The balcony next to Sang's suddenly was filled with a beautiful sound. She struggled in vain to see past the wall that separated the two apartments. Reconciling herself to failure, she listened intently as a sweet, soft, male voice whispered his prayer.

Somebody said you got a new friend

Does he love you better than I can?

There's a big black sky over my town

I know where you're at, I bet she's around

Yeah, I know it's stupid

I just gotta see it for myself

I'm in the corner, watching you kiss him, ohh

I'm right over here, why can't you see me, ohh

I'm giving it my all, but I'm not the guy you're taking home, ooo

I keep dancing on my own

I keep dancing on my own

I'm just gonna dance all night

I'm all messed up, I'm so out of line

Stilettos and broken bottles

I'm spinning around in circles

I'm in the corner, watching you kiss him, ohh

I'm right over here, why can't you see me, ohh

I'm giving it my all, but I'm not the guy you're taking home, ooo

I keep dancing on my own

I keep dancing on my own

So far away but still so near

The lights go on, the music dies

But you don't see me standing here

I just came to say goodbye

I'm in the corner, watching you kiss him, ohh

I'm giving it my all, but I'm not the guy you're taking home, ooo

I keep dancing on my own

I keep dancing on my own

I'm in the corner, watching you kiss him, ohh

I'm right over here, why can't you see me, ohh

I'm giving it my all, but I'm not the guy you're taking home, ooo

I keep dancing on my own

I keep dancing on my own

I keep dancing on my own

A stray tear escaped Sang's eye. It travelled uninterrupted to the hollow of her throat where a lump had formed. Then, she gave herself the grace to allow tears to now flow freely. Leaning over the balcony railings she struggled to whisper into the night, "so beautiful."

"For you," came the simple reply.

Each night for weeks Sang returned to the balcony and each night the stranger sang to her. The song she heard on that first night, was always the last played each evening. Sang pulled her chair to the edge of the balcony in an effort to hear the singing in it's purest form. She hated that a wall divided them. Once and once only, she asked to see the stranger. Her thirst to see him with her own eyes, overwhelming.

His reply shattered her dreams. "Not yet."

"But why?" she replied, her voice quivered in disbelief.

"It's not our time."

"When, when will our time be?"

A few chords gently floated into the night air. Eager to continue with her questions Sang took a breath. A soft chuckle stopped her from speaking. "No more questions Sang. Just listen to the song."

"But how do you know my name?"

"Listen to the song, Sang," came the teasing reply. "This is how it must be for now. I will always be there; always, but in the shadows. Our time will come. For now though, I'll be dancing by myself."

The comforting smell of sweet spice was welcoming, as she breathed it in. His voice soothed her very soul.

Sighing, Sang sat back and wished upon the stars. She had been blessed finally with much more than she had ever dreamed of. She silently sent a wish to the stars to give her one more thing. Just one more and then she would be complete. She was falling in love with whoever was sitting on the other side of the wall. Slowly, but surely.

Then the music stopped.