All That Glitters

Is not gold...

Hands stuffed in his pockets, Jeff peered down into the glass case at the selection of shining rings. Various arrangements of diamonds sparkled up at him.

                “What about that one?” his friend, Lance said, pointing to a gold ring topped with a clump of diamonds. Jeff shook his head.

                “No, she wouldn’t like the fact that they’re all clumped together.” Lance leaned over the counter to peer at the ones in the back row, his long blonde hair brushing over his shoulders.

                “I can’t believe you’re getting married, dude,” he said, not looking back at Jeff. He shrugged a shoulder casually, watching his friend press his face almost against the glass. He didn’t see why Lance thought it was so weird. He was twenty four, had a stable job, and had been dating Laura, a beautiful brunette with a dazzling smile and a perfect laugh, since he was twenty one. Wasn’t marriage the next step?

                “C’mon,” Jeff said, “we’re not gonna find anything here.” Lance straightened and followed his friend out, into the bustling crowds of the large mall. They headed across the second floor to another jewelers, stepping inside the little shop and being assaulted by elevator music. They two walked over to another glass case and leaned over it. Jeff braced himself with his hands, and felt the side of Lance’s hand brush his. He looked over and caught the corner of Lance’s green eyes, like a pure, fiery absinthe. He suppressed a shudder and stared back at the rings.

                “Where is Laura anyway?” Lance asked, tapping the glass as Jeff inspected each and every ring.

                “With her sister. Something about shoes, and a sale. God only knows.” Lance shook his head.

                “She wasn’t curious about our little man date?” He raised his eyebrows, and Jeff bit his lip, making sure not to look up and catch his friend’s eyes again. He took a deep breath, exhaled, then raised his arm and waved over one of the saleswomen. He pointed to a ring, and she removed it from the case, set it on the counter, and stepped back, watching idly to make sure they didn’t run off with it.

                Jeff picked it up and turned it, watching the diamonds glitter. A smooth, gold ring, with a line of three diamonds, the center larger than the rest. Jeff held it close, before he felt a hand curl around his wrist and gently guide the ring away from his face.

                Lance took it and turned it in his fingers, admiring it.

                “I like this one,” he said, holding it back out to Jeff. The blonde set it in his palm, and Jeff’s hand closed over his fingers. He felt a jolt from Lance’s warm fingers, like something jarring his memories. He remembered the sparks he would feel from Lance’s fingers on his scalp, gripping his brown hair, or those secret kisses no one ever knew about.

                Jeff set the ring back on the counter, and the woman picked it up.

                “Will you be buying this?” she asked, but Jeff just shook his head. He turned and began walking out, and Lance, surprised, jogged after him.

                “Hey! Why didn’t you get that one? Laura would’ve loved it.” He grabbed Jeff’s forearm, his hand sliding down and grasping his hand. Jeff looked down at it, at the bare fingers, and could imagine that ring on Lance’s finger. Far too feminine for him, but that wasn’t the point. Lance liked that ring, and if Lance liked it, Jeff didn’t want to give it away to anyone, even Laura.

                Jeff just shrugged, freeing his hand. He shoved them back in his pockets, than looked around the mall. “Forget it, let’s get outta here. I don’t like the jewelers here anyway…” He walked away, leaving Lance to run and catch up, confused about his friend’s sudden mood change.