(Paired) Wedding Rings of Sexual Influence

"Oh these are pretty!" Bree exclaimed as she picked up a small box.

The six friends were browsing the wares of a small occult shop near the downtown core. They had all graduated high school in the spring and it was nearing the end of their last summer break. College, university and jobs would split their core group apart soon enough so they had all agreed to spend this last week together just hanging out and having fun. Although the only one really interested in occult things was Jennifer, her fascination and enthusiasm for the arcane was too much for the others to deny outright and so they found themselves crammed into the overstuffed shop.

Giddy and excited, Jennifer looked like a little kid in a candy store, almost to the point of being a bull in a china shop, and buzzed all around the place seeming to read everything. Devon lightly browsed the many, (many) things on display; genuinely trying to find something he might be interested in. Tanya stepped over to a shelf displaying several 'ancient' tomes and chuckled to herself as she read the ridiculous titles, which happened to be typed, and in English. Mark, like Devon, surveyed the space, but investigated some 'potent mystical herbs' and found that 'pungent' would be a more accurate description. Victor never ventured too far from the entrance, clearly not wanting to stay a second longer than necessary; while Bree found herself planted in front of the showcase of many 'authentic' magical jewelry, where she had found something of interest.

"Ooo! Let me see!" Jennifer shouted as she rushed over, knocking Tanya down as she brushed past. She snatched the box out of Bree's hands and either ignored or, more likely, didn't see the glares from her two offended friends. Still, Jennifer set the box down as Mark helped Tanya to her feet and Devon rested a resisting hand on Bree's shoulder, so that everyone could have a look.

Inside, two rings rested on soft silk. One ring was wider, and seemed to be two metal bands compressing a gem ring between them. The other was a simple, delicate metal ring with a gemstone fitted atop it.

They looked like cheap wedding rings.

"What kind of gems are these?" Jenny asked.

The girl behind the counter, who wasn't really paying attention to her customers, looked up from the website displayed on her monitor and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I just work here. If you want stories, err... answers, you'll have to ask my aunt; she should be back in about a half hour or so."

Most of the friends nodded and moved away, back to what they were doing; but Tanya stared at the pair for a moment more before she surprisingly asked, "There's no price tag. How much are they?"

The girl again shrugged her shoulders before answering, "Six hundred?"

Tanya laughed and closed the box. "No thank you." But she periodically glanced back to the counter every so often.

Seven minutes later the group had enough and encouraged Jennifer to leave the shop behind. On the way out Mark stopped by the counter and offered, "Thirty bucks for the rings." Half joking.

"Done."

Surprised he asked, "Really!?"

The girl shook her head, "Nothing sells in here. I don't know how we're still in business."

Mark paid the girl, picked up the box and left. As he rejoined the group he gently pressed the box into Tanya's hand. Surprised, she looked at him quizzically. Devon noticed and asked, "You didn't?"

"Mark! That's way too much money!"

"What?"

"Dude!"

"Hey, hey, don't worry, I got it for thirty. No harm done. Now come on! Let's get moving, we're going to be late."