Rome was the last person Angie expected to see walk into the ring store, though she didn’t exactly know why. Perhaps because he’d dated Briar for the last two years of college, and Briar always bragged that she spoiled men for other girls. Perhaps because, while dating Briar, the same night that his lips had touched Angie’s cheek, he was seen holding Seraphina’s hand in the garden. Rome wasn’t the kind to settle down and get engaged, yet here he was.
He looked a little lost in the middle of the sparkling shop. His eyes flitted from display to display, finally settling on Angie’s face. They widened.
“Hey,” he said, walking to the counter she was sitting behind. Angie closed her book.
“Hey.”
“Annie, right?”
“Angie.” She motioned to her nametag, and Rome blushed. That wasn’t something she’d seen before. “You went to Saint Emiliana’s University, right?”
“Yeah. Biochemistry?” Rome asked, looking genuinely interested.
“Environmental science. You were in finance?”
“Yep.”
“How can I help you today?”
“Um, I’m looking for a ring. For my girlfriend. I mean, future fiance.”
Angie stared at him blankly for a moment before coming back to herself and handing him the store’s informative brochure on engagement rings. “Did she go to Saint Emiliana’s too?”
“Yeah. Shelby Torres.”
“I don’t think I know her.”
“She went by Michelle back then.”
“Michelle?” Angie knocked her book to the floor in shock. Rome glanced up from his brochure.
“She likes emeralds.”
Angie picked up the book, ears turning red. “More than a traditional diamond?”
“Yep.”
“On page three there should be some green options.”
Rome flipped a page.
“You don’t mean–criminology Michelle?”
“Yeah, she was in criminology.”
“With the blue hair.”
“Uh huh.”
Angie unlocked a drawer and began arranging rings, looking for something Rome might be interested in. “When did you and Briar…”
“Oh, just a couple months after senior year. She moved to L.A. Was going to be in HR for Hollywood or something. To be honest, Briar was tiring.”
“I see. Are you leaning more towards silver or gold?”
“Silver. Saint Em colors.”
Angie laid a pretty emerald ring on the counter in front of Rome. “Is this what you’re looking for?”
He didn’t seem to hear. “You dated Travis, right?”
“No, that was Amy.”
“Oh. Amy. The one with the bright red glasses?”
“Yeah.” Angie tried to slide the ring further toward Rome, but he was busy scanning the brochure.
“Who did you date? Cole? Mike?”
“No one.” Angie didn’t add that she’d always wanted Rome himself. The night he kissed her cheek at the party was the best night of Angie’s life. She thought they’d last forever with just that one kiss. Rome, however, had a long string of girlfriends. Camilla, Natalie, Becca, Cassandra, Seraphina, Jules, Harriet, Briar – how could a short girl whose best friend was her geology textbook keep up?
“Really?” Rome looked up from the brochure. “Not all through college?”
“No.” Angie finally managed to give him the ring. Rome looked at it.
“Do you have anything with more detailing?”
“Of course.” Angie bent to open another drawer. “How did you and Michelle start dating?”
“We’re coworkers.”
“Huh.”
Angie looked through the drawer, but nothing looked like a ring that a guy like Rome would love. Her hands lingered on a ring with intricate silver vines framing a shimmering emerald. It was her ring, the one she’d always wanted to be proposed to with. It fit her perfectly. No, no, she could not give her former crush the ring she’d always wanted. She moved on, but Rome was looking impatient and the other rings were looking lackluster. Finally, she grabbed the perfect ring, and set it on the counter in front of him.
“How’s this?” she said, rather more gruffly than she meant.
“Oh, wow,” Rome breathed. “This is the most beautiful I’ve seen.”
“It’s my personal favorite.” Angie folded her hands and plastered on a grin. “It would be a lovely choice for your girlfriend.”
He checked the price tag. “It’s pretty expensive…”
“It’s handcrafted.”
Rome considered, turning the ring over and over in thought.
“Were you planning on proposing with a Ring Pop?” Angie said with a strange laugh. “It’s the most cost effective option, in my opinion.”
Rome held the ring up to the light, seriously considering her statement. “I used to imagine asking you out with a Ring Pop – silly, I know, but I felt like a ring signified forever, even if it’s only candy.”
“Me?”
“Oh, um.” Rome turned bright red. “I had a big crush on you in college.”
Angie felt like she couldn’t breathe. She had to remind herself that Rome was in this shop to seal his relationship with another girl. He wasn’t here to tell Angie he always loved her. This wasn’t a Hallmark movie, and Angie shouldn’t expect a Christmas present bow on her nonexistent love life. But when Rome set the ring back down, not bending to one knee for her, she couldn’t help but feel a stabbing pain in her chest.
“Sorry, I know that made things awkward,” Rome said when Angie didn’t respond. “I’m going to just buy this now.”
“Why didn’t you?” Angie asked, her hands not moving from their frozen position. “Why didn’t you ask me?”
“Would you have said yes if I did?”
“Yes,” Angie breathed. “Could you not tell?”
“You liked me back?”
“I loved you.”
There was a moment of silence. Rome’s hands twitched on the ring. “This is the weirdest experience I’ve ever had.”
Angie began ringing up the jewelry. “It’s close to the top of my list as well.”
“Um…so if you were in environmental science, why do you work at a ring shop?”
“It’s a seasonal gig. Environmental science didn’t exactly work out, especially after I sabotaged my own interview with the company of my dreams.”
“You did what now?”
“It wasn’t meant to be.” Like us, Angie’s brain added, but she brushed that aside.
“That’s rough.”
Rome pulled out a bundle of crisp one dollar bills and began counting.
“Are you paying with cash?” Angie said, staring at his painstaking efforts with horror. “Are you paying with all ones?”
“I’m pretty sure there’s a five in here.”
“A five.”
“I was too excited once I had enough for the best ring possible. It was all the money I saved from tips at my minimum-wage restaurant job. ”
Angie let him count for a minute before blurting what was truly on her mind.
“You really love Miche–Shelby, don’t you?”
Rome looked up from his counting. “I do.”
“Okay,” Angie said. He handed her the stack of bills. “Okay.”
She began to count.
“I probably should’ve stopped at a bank or something.”
“Yep.”
After a few minutes, Angie had the money double-counted and the ring nestled securely in a pale box. Rome took it from her with a smile.
“I’m sorry if that was the most awkward interaction you’ve ever had.”
“Likewise.”
Rome laughed. “You’re funny,” he said before pausing suddenly. “You know that, right? That’s what I always liked about you. You had personality.”
“I hope Shelby does too.”
“She does.”
“I’m glad.”
Rome reached out to shake Angie’s hand. “I hope you find someone who you really love someday.”
“It appears that you already have. I hope you enjoy it.” It sounded pained to Angie’s ears, but Rome just grinned wider.
“Thank you, Angie.”
“You too, Rome.”
He strode out of the store with ring box in hand, and Angie fell to the floor behind the counter, holding her knees. Tears welled up in her brown eyes. She couldn’t believe there was a day when she could’ve had the man she’d always wanted. She didn’t know whether to laugh or sit and have her cry.
If she still loved Rome, her heart would be torn in two. But aside from the initial shock, she felt a strange sense of peace. Perhaps she’d gotten over him, after all.
What on earth am I supposed to do now?
Stand up and help the next customer, she supposed.
