Gemotions

As I stepped into the pawn shop, the gloom seemed to lift. I walked past the jumbled displays, my heart pounding a steady rhythm of anticipation. I knew what I was looking for. There it was, in a dimly lit case, winking at me. My grandmother’s ring.

"How much for the gold one, with the little rubies?" My voice sounded strange, tight with held-in excitement. The shop owner, a woman with a bored expression, recited the price. I nearly whooped.

I paid without haggling, hardly able to keep the ring from my shaking hands. The coolness of the metal soothed my skin. I rushed out of the shop, practically floating. The city seemed brighter, the air fresher. I couldn't stop grinning.