A pawn shop who sells them to two girls

“I’m telling you Hazel, there’s nothing good in here.”

This was the third time Vickie had complained and Hazel was just about ready to leave the pawn shop just to make her shut up. While her friend loved to shop, Victoria Malbourne was notorious for openly complaining about being a store she disliked.

Hazel McAllister had long since stopped caring.

Ignoring Victoria’s rebuttal about how much dust was getting in her hair, Hazel crouched down to scan the bottom of the display case, eyes shifting from curiosity to curiosity.

“You don’t have to be in here with me, you know.”

A familiar blonde huff sounded behind her.

“Please, if I’m not here, you’ll never leave.”

She wasn’t wrong; Hazel had a rather unique love for all things old and antique. A pawn shop like this one, which sold a plethora of unique memorabilia was a goldmine for her; one she wouldn’t readily leave if it weren’t for her complaining friend.

Best not tell her that.

Instead, Hazel rolled her eyes, a motion which made them land on something she hadn’t encountered yet. They widened immediately, enraptured by what she saw.

The girl sprang to her feet, waving for the clerk to provide assistance. The elder woman, the owner’s wife and business partner, lifted her skirt as she ran, eager to make a sale.

“Have you found something, dear?” She asked as the gap closed, approaching a beaming Hazel. Even Vickie had gone quiet, noting her friend’s excitement.

Hazel nodded eagerly, crouching back down in order to point. “I want to check out these two rings.”

“Rings?” Her friend asked while the clerk reached down to follow through. “You’re getting excited over rings?”

“You know how much I love old jewelry.” Hazel countered, childish-glee evident as she was presented with her query. “Gosh, isn’t it pretty?” She asked as she turned to her friend, raising the back of her right hand to show a dull, silver color.

Vickie wrinkled her nose at it, eyeing it disgustingly. “Eewww, just a mondaine silver ring? Please Hazel, that’s hardly pretty.” As she said this, she looked around her friend’s shoulder, trying to spot what else there was. Despite her disinterest, her eyes lit of up.

“This one however!” She exclaimed, lifting a gold ring. “This one’s gorgeous.”

Rolling her eyes, Hazel filled with the ring she now wore, twisting it off her finger. She wasn’t shocked by Victoria’s obvious affliction for anything gold. Yet, her friend’s words had been truth: the silver ring wasn’t as pretty as it initially seemed.

Still, the gold ring was incredibly beautiful - something a sentiment Vickie quite evidently shared given how she was modelling how it looked on her ring finger. Deciding she wanted it, Hazel was ready to accept buying the sister ring if it meant getting a discount on the former.

“How much for the pair?” She asked the older clerk while putting the silver ring back in it’s jewelry box

“Fifty bucks.”

Her expression soured; that was more than she felt comfortable spending, even on pawned jewelry. She gave a solemn look at the silver ring, disappointed, as she removed it from her finger.

Surprisingly, Vickie was the one who came to her rescue.

“Fifty bucks! For this?” Her friend yelled five octave higher than she normally do. The old clerk, shocked, simply nodded, eyes wide by the outburst. “Oh my god, that’s a steal! Hazel! This has real gold in it! Trust me, I’ve seen a lot of jewelry - I can tell these things.”

Too stunned to argue, Hazel fumbled for her purse while mumbling something inaudible. She’d only managed to withdraw a twenty when Vickie slammed a perfectly manicured hand on the counter, holding the rest of the purchase.

“I gotchu girl” She said as though she’d explained everything.

Still, Hazel wasn’t having it. “You’re paying for my purchase?”

Vickie winked. “Only if you let me wear the gold one.”

Hazel couldn’t help but smile; even at the worst of times, she was glad she’d befriended Vickie.