A few days later, Taylor and Christine were walking around the campus square in the afternoon. the late fall leaves crunched beneath their feet, and they dawdled and looked in the shop windows as they talked.
"So why don't you come home with me for Christmas?" he asked.
"Oh Taylor, I don't know..." She said.
"Oh why not?" He said. "You say that your family never spends time together anyways, and mine doesn't do anything but!"
"I know, but I'm not familiy." She said. "I'd feel out of place."
"You wouldn't be out of place at all." He said. "My family will love you."
"I don't know Taylor." She said again. "That would be really nerve racking for me, meeting your brothers, your mom, your dad, all of your family? What if they don't like me?"
"They will, they'll love you." He said.
"I'll have to think about it." She said.
"Okay." He said. "Definitely think about it."
"I will." She said, glancing into the window of the jewelry shop.
"Want to go in there?" he asked.
"Yeah." She said.
They walked into the small store. It was packed with current and old jewelry, and a big man named Mike owned it. He was tall and large, with two earrings in one ear, and he had a beard and spoke very loud, but was supposedly nice.
"Hi there, what can I do for ya?" He asked as they walked in.
"Oh, we're just looking. Thank you." Christina said.
"Alrighty, let me know." he said.
"Thanks." Taylor said.
"Oh, we have a special today. Get one piercing done, get another free." he said.
"Cool." Taylor said, looking at Christina.
"Oh Taylor, you don't need anything pierced." She said.
"Well I was thinking of getting an earring up here." He said, pointing to his cartilage.
"I dont' know." She said. "You'd better think about it. I wanna look at the rings over there." She said, walking over to another wall.
"Okay." he said.
"You thinkin about getting something done?" Mike asked.
"yeah, I wanna get an earring." Taylor said.
"I can do that." Mike said.
"I think I might." Taylor said. He turned around. "Chris."
She walked over to him. "I think I'm gonna get it done." he said.
"I guess." She said, looking at his ear.
"Yeah, I'll do it." He said.
"Okie dokie." Mike said, pulling out some forms. "What about the free one? What do you want to do with that?" he asked.
"Uh, I don't know." taylor said.
"Don't you want something done?" He asked, looking at Christina.
"Oh, I don't think so." She said.
"Are you sure? It's free." He said.
"Come on Chris. You dont' like it you can take it out." he said.
"I don't know..." She said, biting her lip.
"You could get matching ones." Mike suggested.
"Please?"
"I guess." She said, shifting her weight. "Don't those ones up there hurt more?" She asked.
"They pinch and take longer to heal, but other than that, no." Mike said.
"I hope I'm not making a mistake." She said.
"Nah, I think you'll like it." Mike said. Once they had filled out the forms, they walked up to front of the store where the stool was.
"I don't know about this." She said.
"You'll be fine." Taylor said. "It'll look cool." he said.
"I guess." She said.
"Here, I'll go first." he said, sitting on the stool.
Taylor picked out a plain silver stud. Mike cleaned his ear, then loaded the gun.
Christina grabbed his hand. "Oh Taylor are you sure about this?" She asked him
"Yeah, Chris, calm down." he said.
Mike put the gun to Taylor's ear, then she heard a click. He took the gun away and handed Taylor a mirror.
"Cool." Taylor said with a smile.
"Your turn." He said, smiling at Christina.
"Okay." She said slowly, climbing up onto the chair. She picked out a diamond stud. She watched as he loaded the gun. She grabbed Taylor's hand and squeezed it.
"It's okay." He said to her as Mike put the gun up to her.
"One...Two....three." He said, then she heard a click and felt a sharp pinch.
She squealed and squeezed Taylor's hand harder. He handed her a mirror. Her ear was bright red, but in the corner there was a little diamond stud.
"Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow....." She said. fanning her red ear.
"See?" Taylor said, helping her off the stool.
"That hurt." She said.
"It wasn't that bad." he said, leading her over to the counter to pay. Taylor pulled out his wallet, then the two men soon struck up a conversation. Christina grew bored, then wandered back over to look at the rings.
Taylor soon came over. "Whatcha lookin at?" He asked, leaning over the counter with her.
"The rings." She said.
"oh." he said, gazing at them.
"Want to try something on?" Mike asked, unlocking the cabinet.
"Oh, I was just looking." She said.
"Sure." Taylor said. "Go ahead."
"I can't buy anthing." She said.
"Just try one on." Mike said. "just for fun." He said.
"Okay." She said. "I like that one." She said, pointing to a silver ring with a ruby in the center with tiny diamonds next to it.
"Okay." he said, pulling it out of the case. He handed it to her, and she slipped it on her finger.
"That's pretty." Taylor said.
"It's beautiful." She said. "is it real?" She asked.
"Yup, it's real." Mike said. "The silver is very high quality, very soft." He said. "It's a nice ring." he said.
"I like that." She said, taking it off. She tried on a few more. "I still like the first one." She said. Taylor and Mike started talking again, and Christina grew bored.
"Taylor, I'm gonna go next door in the bakery." she said.
"Okay." he said. "I'll be there in a minute."
Once she was gone, Taylor turned to Mike. "So how much was that first one she tried on?" he asked.
"Four nintey five." He replied.
"Ohhh......." Taylor said, making a face. "Ouch." he said.
"Yeah, it's pricey, but it's a good ring. Nothing fake there." he said.
"Well, i wish I could, but I can't. Right now. I might be back." Taylor said, walking to the door.
"Hope I see ya." Mike said.
"Thanks." Taylor said.
"No problem."
"See ya."
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