close to my dialling heart

54🌹lean on me

🎶The world was on fire and no one could save me but you. It's strange what desire makes foolish people do. I never dreamed that I would meet somebody like you🎶
~Ursine Vulpine~

DOVE 🕊

Mal helped ease my fear, at least for a while, and we continued to enjoy ourselves. Being with them was more fun than I expected. We spent the afternoon shopping, visiting a chocolate museum-which was interesting-but the ice cream museum was definitely my favorite. We even circled back to it after shopping some more. By the end of the day, Sienna mentioned wanting to stop by a jewelry store. She said it was to pick out something for her boyfriend, I guess.

As we arrived, I froze just before stepping out of the car. When they said "store," I pictured something normal-sized, not the towering building in front of me. Through the glass walls, I could see it was upscale, filled with expensive displays and people who looked like they belonged in a different world. My eyes drifted to the name etched across the front: Diamond Atelier. A cold chill ran down my spine. I swallowed hard, the memory of Xavier mentioning he worked here flooding back to me all at once.

The moment we stepped inside, I couldn't help but stare in awe. Jewelry adorned with the most exquisite gems sparkled from every display. I spotted a 20-carat diamond necklace with a price tag in the millions-something I was used to seeing on a screen, not up close like this. Was Sienna really here to spend that kind of money?

"Are we sure we're in the right store?" Ela asked, breaking the tension, and we all burst into laughter. I wasn't the only one out of my depth.

"He said he wanted something from here," Sienna explained, and I frowned. Wait... did she mean her boyfriend sent her to buy him something from this store, using her money?

"Like he sent you using your own money?" Mal asked, voicing exactly what I was thinking.

Sienna nodded. "Come on, guys, it's the least I can do. He's done a lot for me."

Ela shook her head, unimpressed. "No, you've done a lot for him... but hey, spoil your man." The sarcasm in her voice was impossible to miss.

"I personally think your man is using you," Mal chimed in.

"Guys. Stop," Sienna defended him, though the uncertainty in her voice was clear.

"Alright, love," Ela said with a shrug before her eyes landed on a delicate diamond pendant. "Oh, this would look amazing on me." She held it up, the price tag reading fifty thousand dollars. My stomach dropped.

"Should I get it?" she asked, trying it on. I quickly looked away, because honestly, I would've told her to put it back. But with these girls, money wasn't a problem.

"Yeah, it does look good," Mal agreed, nodding. "It'll go perfectly with that white silk dress of yours."

"Right?" Ela beamed, admiring her reflection as if the price tag was nothing more than an afterthought.

I found a spot to sit and watched as the others wandered around, admiring every glittering display. A moment later, a guy came over and sat next to me. He was dressed in smart casual-a blue dress shirt with the top two buttons undone, black slacks neatly tucked in, and shoes that definitely weren't sneakers. His dark curly hair framed a face with ice-blue eyes, the kind that seemed distant, almost lifeless. But he was cute-like a bad boy straight out of a high school movie, if you know what I mean.

"Hey," he greeted casually.

I gave him a small wave.

"You look good," he said, his gaze sweeping over me from head to toe and back again.