Drama Queen

Owen shoves his face in front of the chain, blocking my view. “Whoa.” With a frustrated sigh, I push Owen with as much force as I can muster and manage to make him take a step to the side so I can see again. “Where did you find something like this, Isabella?” Owen asks, talking to her as if they were old friends.

“All my rarest pieces are from a good friend of mine who travels the world looking for trinkets like this. This specific item is from a small village south of New City located in one of the hottest deserts this world has to offer.” She smiles up at Owen, moving her smile to me when she notices that I am the possible buyer.  

“My father was from New City.” I say, my eyes still on the necklace. “How much?” I glance up and meet her eyes. I am uncharacteristically eager to buy this necklace. I don’t usually wear jewelry, but there is something special about this piece that I have to have it.

After a bit of haggling, and a significantly lighter coin purse, Owen and I walk away from the stall. I touch the necklace that is now around my neck, resting lightly on my collar bone. Owen is pouting beside me as we browse the rest of the stalls. I glance over at him, “What’s wrong with you?”

“I didn’t find out where she is staying while she’s in town.” He shoves his hands in his pockets and kicks the dirty snow. My face scrunches up as I try to hide a smile and a snicker of laughter.

“You poor thing. Whatever are you to do? And you were going to confess your love and everything! Such a shame. I guess you’ll just have to wait until next month when the next sellers come and hope that she’ll be there again!” I sigh dramatically and place my hands over my heart. “Owen, you must go back! Confess your undying love before it’s too late!” I smirk as he rolls his eyes at me.

“You’re a drama queen, Sia.” My eyes widen as he attempts to hide a smile.

“I’m the drama queen?! Owen! Seriously? You just met the girl, and she was using you to make a sale!”

“Yeah, well it didn’t work. I didn’t buy anything, did I?”  He gives me a look of victory, which makes me laugh out loud, startling a nearby man at a stall. Owen slaps a hand over my mouth and gives the man an apologetic look. I snicker behind his hand. “Come on; let’s get out of here before you cause a scene.” He cautiously removes his hand from my mouth, and then grabs my hand, leading me down the nearest alleyway which heads out of the City Centre. 

Owen Is Always In the Way

“Why, hello there, beautiful.” I look up to see Owen leaning on the table, his eyes locked on to the lady behind the stall. I roll my eyes at him, but then continue to gaze at the shiny objects on the table. “The name’s Owen, Owen Grey. I’m sure with looks like that you have a name to match.” He gives her a goofy grin and winks at her. I pretend to gag.

She glances at me with a smirk, then smiles back at Owen, flicking a piece of loose hair off her shoulder. “Isabella.” She says. She stretches out her hand towards Owen, and he takes it in his own hands and places a kiss on it. I try to hide my grin from Owen. She is playing him like a fiddle.

I clear my throat and say, “These are so lovely Isabella, but do you have something more… unique?” she looks over, studying me. I suddenly feel very self-conscious, and realize that I’m properly dressed for the weather, but she is hardly dressed to be out in public. A shiver runs down my back as I immediately get a feeling of distrust.

“Ah, a treasure seeker I see. I may have something you are looking for.” Her eyes glitter in the morning sunlight as she bends down to reach for something behind the stall. She pulls out a small black box. Isabella opens the box slowly, revealing what appears to be a plain silver chain at first. At second glance, I see more detail. Each link in the chain has been carefully formed into a small snake biting its own tail, and then linked into the next. The eyes of the snakes are small red jewels.

Owen shoves his face in front of the chain, blocking my view. “Whoa.”