Gemotions

The dim light of the pawn shop seemed to swallow the color from everything. Her knuckles were white, gripping the worn velvet box. She hadn’t expected to see *this*. The etched gold band, the way the diamond caught the light – it was undeniable. Her stomach clenched, a sudden, sharp pressure. She pushed her glasses up her nose, a nervous habit she hadn’t realized she still had.

The shopkeeper, a man whose face seemed permanently creased in a frown, watched her with narrowed eyes. His voice, when he spoke, was gravelly, each word a slow, deliberate drop. "You interested?"

She swallowed hard, the dryness in her mouth making it difficult. "How much?" The words felt thin, fragile, like they might break apart. She couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze.

The silence hung heavy, each second stretching into an eternity. Her hands trembled, despite her best efforts to keep them still.