Impulse Buy
“Wow, I can’t believe how long it’s been since we last hung out!” Peridot said brightly as she got into the passenger seat of Garnet’s car.
“Too long,” the older girl tuned the radio to the R&B station. “I apologize for not being around much, or missing out on the last few midnight diner runs. Work is a bit crazy. Sometimes I have to work over twelve hours a day.”
Peridot was too familiar with that kind of schedule, even though they had completely different professions. “Join the club. We’ve got energy drinks.”
“I thought you weren’t drinking those anymore,” Garnet smiled.
“Very funny. I’ve cut back to one a day, that’s reasonable right?”
They drove down the street to the main road. Their neighborhood was a sea of rambler houses and apartments. Intentionally planted trees lining each side of the road were beginning to grow new leaves. It was definitely spring. Already?
Peridot was going to graduate soon, and “soon” meaning that semester. It was an impossible concept to even imagine what it would be like not going to classes, not seeing half the regular people who showed up during the day. Ever since she started freshman year, Peridot could not care less. But now that her last year was ending, she was now starting to enjoy it despite all the more negative events.
She not only had a life now, she was actually living.
They planned to spend their afternoon at the huge outlet mall, which probably meant they would grab some food as well. Just as the thought passed the blonde’s mind, her stomach growled audibly which she patted.
Fortunately for them, they were quick to find a parking spot. The mall was unnaturally empty, it usually being twice as packed. Which meant no waiting in store lines.
“Do you mind going into this one store first?” Garnet asked. “There was a jacket I saw online with a tiger on the back,” and they still have it in stock here.
“Not at all, that jacket sounds awesome.”
Searching the first floor, Garnet finally found it in the men’s section. It had two tiger heads on the front, and one large stylized tiger on the back. Peridot held her coat as the taller girl tried it on for size. Turning around in a circle while looking in the thin mirror next to them, she landed on a pose, Garnet raised an eyebrow and asked, “How does it look?”
Peridot simply raised a thumb up, “Magnificent.” Even though the idea of the jacket sounded stupid at first, it actually looked really cool.
“That’s good to hear.”
“Do they have one in my size? I’m a small, so maybe the same for men’s sizing. Or an extra small.”
Garnet searched the rack, and at the very back pulled off a hanger. “You’re just in luck, the last small.”
“Yes!” Peridot pulled the jacket off fast, and tried it on over her hoodie. It was actually the most perfect article of clothing ever.
“Hey Garnet, do you want to be matching today?”
She gave the shorter, enthusiastic girl a closed mouth smile. “I was just going to ask you the same.”
When they walked out, they both had their new matching jackets on, wearing their sunglasses. Making stops into almost every store, they goofed around as they tried on different outfits. They also hit up the movie theatre, where tickets were half off that weekday. Peridot bought them both a large popcorn to share, which they ended up finishing before the movie actually started. By the end, they were both laughing and quoting the characters.
“You people have too much money,” Peridot quoted in a tiny, squeaky voice, before changing it back. “Yeah no kidding Sherlock!”
“It was a pretty cheesy movie, but the sarcasm made up for it.”
“That’s true for sure. I can’t believe the Richtons at the end. They were so proper and snobby all the way through the neighbor war, and then at the keg part they did a complete one eighty.”
“Definitely a hoot,” Garnet laughed, remembering. “But not a family I’d want to mess with.”
Suddenly a particular store caught Peridot’s attention. Her green eyes flashed passionately.
“Wait Garnet, wait a second. Hold up,” Peridot pulled back her friends arm as she peered into the glass window. “Let’s go in this jewelry shop.”
“I didn’t know you were into wearing jewelry,” Garnet poked a bit of fun at her.
But Peridot was in a much too serious mood to go along. They walked fast around the ritzy, expensive store beside the locked cases, full of sparkling jewels. It was definitely the dim lighting which made everything glimmer so brightly. Finally Peridot sighed. “I don’t see it.”
“Don’t see what?” The taller woman asked, very curiously.
Instead of responding directly, Peridot blushed and ran a hand through her shorter blonde hair. She turned around, looking for someone in the store who worked there.
“Hi, may I help you look for something?”
The sudden voice behind them made Peridot jump, taken by surprise. “Uh yes, actually. Where are your non-diamond rings?”
“Oh, they are right over here, if you want to follow me to the other side of the counter. Are you looking for someone in particular?”
Garnet looked at Peridot, as the blonde nodded furiously. “I’m looking for… my girlfriend.”
With narrowed eyes, the sales clerk leaned in towards her, the counter separating them. “Is this an engagement ring?”
Peridot looked at the clerk, then at Garnet with widened eyes, and then back at the clerk. Shit, what was she doing, what was she thinking? Was she insane?
“Yes, it is,” Peridot’s voice cracked.
Yes, she was insane.
Looking over, Garnet was covering her agape mouth with both hands, doing her best not to squeal in the store.
Breathing slowly, Peridot used one of the methods her counselor recommended to relieve anxiety. The moment was overwhelming. She had yet to even tell Lapis she loved her. What was she doing?
“Good, that can help narrow our search,” the clerk changed her mood from suspicious to bright. “Do you have a specific stone in mind, or any other specifics?”
“Perhaps a ring that does not have primarily a Diamond. It’s alright I suppose if there are small ones, but only as long as the other stone is more prominent.” There were a couple reasons why a diamond was not Peridot’s immediate choice. Firstly, it was Lapis’ mother’s name, and her own last name. Since they were both renounced by their mothers, it was probably safer to choose something which had no relation. Secondly, Peridot knew what Lapis’ favorite stone was, weirdly enough. It was an opal. It was not as sparkly as a diamond, but it was much classier.
But she wanted to look first at their selection.
The clerk showed Peridot and Garnet their most current line of rings. But nothing looked right. Peridot wanted to be confident Lapis would love the ring. This was all happening so suddenly. Before this moment, Peridot had not even thought about engagement rings. All this time, she was so unsure of how fast to move with Lapis.
But was she really?
Maybe she would get more precise with ring specifics. “Do you have any gold rings with opals?”
“We have a couple over here on the other side,” they went around once again. “This is currently all we have in stock. Opals seem to go by fairly quickly.”
Observing inside the perfectly lit up case, one ring immediately caught the blonde’s eye. “Can I see that one?” She pointed enthusiastically.
Garnet gasped, “It’s so beautiful.”
Indeed it was.
The lady helping them opened the case to pick it out, and present it to them. It was an art-deco styled ring, with two oval opals and two round lapis lazuli’s forming a diamond shape. The diamond shape was not too explicit however. The opals were laid on each side, and the lazuli’s on the top and bottom. The band was made out of gold, ten karat from the weight of it. In the center was a petite, round diamond.
This was it, the ring.
“How much is it,” Peridot said immediately.
“It says right over here. If you plan to purchase it, you can pay all at once, or in installments.”
“I believe I’m ready.”
To her side, Garnet was having the time of her life watching her. The older woman’s face was beaming with joy for her roommate.
Peridot’s own heart was racing. She knew she was jumping into a big decision when she first walked into the store. But she could not ever imagine her life without Lapis, or ever breaking up. Their relationship seemed to continuously head in the positive, healthy direction. Maybe her heart was racing from anxiety. But it was also doing so because of excitement, and because she loved Lapis so deeply.
The ring was just under the thousand dollar range. But by its make and craftsmanship, Peridot could tell why. Paying for it all up front, she also made sure to get it insured. The clerk proceeded to put it carefully in a navy blue velvet box, and wrap it as a gift.
The lady who help them handed the small bag to Peridot and said, “Good luck with your proposal.” She also gave an obvious wink.
“Thanks, I’ll need it,” Peridot massaged the back of her neck with an available hand.
As soon as they walked out of the store, Garnet surprised Peridot by picking her up, and swinging her around in circles. “I am so happy for you and Lapis!” She put the smaller, dazed girl down, and put a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you for letting me be a part of this amazing moment. I can tell, Lapis is going to love that ring. Anyone would. You have great taste Peridot.”
“I try,” she blew on her finger nails like she was trying them. “I hope she will,” the blonde became serious again. “As far as proposing goes, I don’t really have a plan yet. Honestly, it was an impulse buy.”
“If you need help coming up with a plan, I would be more than happy to brainstorm with you.”
“I may just take you up on that,” Peridot smiled, feeling especially grateful for her friend.
The rest of the day, they delved deeper into different ideas and how they would be carried out. By the time they left the outlet mall, Garnet bought a brand new outfit and a novel she was dying to get.
Once they got home in the evening, Peridot hopped into the shower, taking a little longer than normal. She was going to relax. She needed it, she deserved it. She made herself a pot of tea, heated a hot water bottle, and put on some shorts and a tank top before crawling into bed.
Before she shut her eyes to go to sleep, she turned her phone on to display the screen. No texts. Opening up her messages, she composed a new text.
Hey Lapis, I’m going to sleep soon, but was thinking of you all day.
No more than a second had passed when Lapis responded back.
Same here, my appointment went well, but it was long. I wish we could spend every day together.
Those words echoed in Peridot’s head. “Me too Lapis, me too.”