Jealousy

Chapter 5

The next day Maddie and her father went to LazyTown's jewelry store. The whole store was covered with "30% OFF!" signs, especially for the 4th of July celebrations that are coming up in a month.

"Oh, hello, Mr. Meanswell! What can we do for you today?" the salesman asked.

"Oh, I'm looking for an engagement ring... And my daughter is here to help me choose," Milford told him.

"Ah, Maddie, of course! Well, may I suggest you the 4th of July collection? All the diamonds are white, blue and red," the salesman said and they both went after him. The salesman, Jack, showed them all the jewelry of the collection. That's when Maddie noticed the ideal ring for Bessie.

"Uncle, look, this is the ring for Bessie!" she told and pointed at the silver ring, with a blue diamond in the middle and two red smaller diamonds on each side.

"Oh, you're right! That's it! That's the ring! These are Bessie's two favorite colors!" he exclaimed when he notice a beautiful necklace with blue and light blue diamonds that would match perfectly with Maddie's dress for the president's visit.

"Um, Madeline, how about you will wait for me outside while I pay?" he asked her.

"Uh, sure, dad," she said and went out of the shop while Milford payed for the ring and the necklace, and he even got another discount of 20% for being the mayor.

*****

"I think my dad switched the ring I helped him choose," Maddie said as she sat on the bench, while watch her boyfriend doing some push-ups.

"What makes you think that?" Sportacus asked.

"He suspiciously asked to wait for him outside while he paid. So I'm pretty sure he actually found another ring for Bessie but didn't want to offend me," she said.

"Well, even if he did, he probably just thought that the other was prettier. This ring is coming from him to her, not from you to her," Sportacus sat next to her.

"You're right," she sighed, "but he still could've tell me he likes another ring."

"What was your ring looked like anyways?" he asked.

"Well, it was silver, with a big blue diamond in the middle and two small red ones on each side," she told him.

"Bessie's favorite colors... It sounds perfect for her, I wonder why he would change it," Sportacus wondered. At this time, Ziggy and Stephanie passed by them.

"Ziggy, shh! Duck down!" Stephanie told him as she tried to listen to her cousin's conversation.

"I know, me too. It was such a beautiful ring, a ring that no woman could resist. Especially the blue diamond in the middle, ugh..." she cried and Sportacus wrapped his arm around her.

"Well, you know what? If he didn't get Bessie the ring, then I will get it for you," he suggested and she laughed.

"What?? He wants to propose to her?!" Stephanie whispered in horror.

"Oh, really? You mean that Maddie and Sportacus will get married? Oh, boy, that's so great!" Ziggy whispered back.

"Would you stop that?" Maddie laughed at Sportacus.

"Look, we're dating for almost 3 years... So this might be an appropriate gift for our 3rd anniversary, or your birthday..." he said.

"...Or my graduation day. Because to remind you, I'm still going to high school in September," she laughed.

"I know, I know," he laughed too, "but I can't wait for the day I propose to you."

"You know, you keep talking about so much, it won't be a surprise anymore, and it will lose the point," Maddie chuckled and he laughed with her and they kissed.

"Ugh, get a room!" Stephanie whispered again.

*****

"Hey, Uncle Milford, what's in the bag?" Stephanie asked him when she saw the bag from the jewelry store.

"Oh, um, this is an engagement ring for Bessie," he said.

"You're going to propose to her? It's about time! Congratulations, Uncle!" Stephanie smiled at her uncle.

"Why thank you very much, Stephanie."

"But what's in the big box?" she asked again.

"The big box?? Oh, oh, this is, uh, a surprise! Yes, a surprise!" he tried to lie.

"Ok..." she said and let it go.

Maddie came back a couple of minutes later, after spending the day with Sportacus.

"Hey, dad! Hi, Steph," she greeted them.

"Hi, Maddie," Stephanie mumbled to herself. She hated the fact that she could spend the whole day with Sportacus, as much as she wants.

"Tomorrow I'm going to the theatre hall to rehearse, is that ok?" Maddie asked.

"Why, sure! You can have it all to yourself tomorrow," her dad told her.

At this exact moment, Stephanie came with meanest plan she ever thought of to ruin Maddie's special performance.