Nothing Lasts Forever

22. More Money, More Problems

The black SUV pulls up in front of a random jewelry store in the shopping square.

Albeit it being four in the morning coupled with the fact that I am looking through a heavily tinted window there appears to be no paparazzi around.

No hidden ones pretending to be shoppers either.

I feel a hand being gently placed on top of mine that is currently resting beside me on the seat cushion.

"You okay?" I hear Hunter ask from beside me

I turn to face the raven haired girl a smile of reassurance making its way onto my face at the sight of her worried expression.

"I'm okay," I verbalize

She is silent for a few seconds as she tries to determine whether I am telling the truth or hiding my true feelings from her.

"Let's go before the paparazzi sniff us out" I smirk before I make my way out of the black SUV

I feel an unpleasant chill go up my spine as my converse clad feet meet the gravelly pavement of the parking lot.

Hmm...weird.

I choose to pass it off as the weather getting colder.

'This is Los Angeles, Delaney. The weather barely goes below seventy degrees.'

"Are you sure you're okay?" Hunter's voice alerts me

I glance up only to notice that the raven haired girl is now standing on the sidewalk, her hood resting against her upper back.

I assume this is because there is no one here who could pose as a threat to her safety.

"Yeah" I shut my door before quickly making my way towards her

As I reach said raven haired girl I feel her hand shyly reach out for mine with hesitance, prompting me to grab ahold of her hand.

"You're freezing" she chuckles as a way to lighten the mood

I smile at her efforts as we begin to make our way towards the jewelry shop.

"I know" I utter

I use this opportunity to pull Hunter closer towards me.

I bring my free hand up to grab ahold of her bicep, her body's warmth slowly consuming my colder one.

Unfortunately I am not attached to her for long as we soon approach the shop's glass door. Hunter reaches one of her hands out to open the door, I unwillingly remove my hand from her bicep so that I can grab ahold of the door.

The two of us enter the small jewelry store, the sound of the door's chime alerting the store clerk of our presence.

The older lady turns away from cleaning a display to face Hunter and I, her bright smile faltering as soon as her eyes land on us.

"Oh-" she does not even try to hide her surprise

I give her a polite smile, not wanting this to become awkward.

"Hi, we wanted to look at some rings" I inform the woman

The clerk silently nods her head, seemingly swallowing a lump in her throat.

"Right this way,"

She briskly leads us over towards a glass display that holds an array of rings. Anywhere from thin rings to wedding rings.

My eyes widen with surprise at all of the rings.

I do not think that I have ever seen so many rings in my life.