Gemotions

The bell above the pawn shop door jingled as Chloe entered, a sound that grated on her nerves. She'd been avoiding everyone, locking herself away from the world. Today was his birthday, her grandfather’s birthday, and he deserved better than her current state. She was supposed to find him a gift.

Her gaze drifted aimlessly across the cluttered displays, and then it stopped. A ring. She recognized it instantly, the delicate filigree, the unique shape of the central stone. The ring. Her grandmother's engagement ring. She felt a sharp, unexpected pain.

She approached the counter, her steps slow and reluctant. "Can I see that ring?" she asked, her voice flat, devoid of emotion. The shop owner, a man with a tired face, retrieved it from the display case. She held the ring, the cold metal against her skin.