TIME LAPSE 6 MONTHS

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Jack POV

It was a scorching hot day and the heat from the cooking pots and the oven in the restaurant didn’t help. I flipped another crêpe and tried to get the hair out of my eyes without touching my face with my gloves. I felt dizzy and weak but I was still excited because today, I would go to look at something I needed for Alex and me. I was dying to do it; I had saved up money for this for months now.

About 200 crêpes later (they were very popular even in this hot weather; the other thing people liked was Tarte Tatin (the apple cake) with cinnamon ice cream) it was almost 5 pm. Our new help cook’s shift would start soon and I’d be done. The restaurant was going well, David had made me his co-owner now and we had hired someone to serve and another cook.

5 pm. I handed over control to the other cook, Serge, an actual French guy who had introduced us to new French recipes. I got out of my work clothes and into my rather posh things. I was still wearing my converse though, I had loved them since the day I had bought them.

I went to the nearby shopping centre. I remembered the first time I had come here, buying things for me and Alex right after receiving my first paycheck. Everything had felt so new and exciting but I felt the same feelings bubble up in me now too.

1000 Rings. My destination. I walked in, feeling shy all of a sudden. But I was determined to find the perfect ring to propose to Alex.

“Hello, what can I help you with?” A lady of about 50 years approached me. She had grey hair and glasses that were riding low on her nose. She looked at me askingly and I remembered that I was supposed to reply.

“Uh, I’m... looking for an engagement ring?” I stuttered, feeling the blood rush to my face.

“What do you have in mind?” she asked.

“I’d like something with a green stone and gold,” I answered, feeling a bit more confident. I had imagined the perfect ring for Alex for ages now. I knew he was a romantic even though he didn’t admit it it.

“So you’d like an emerald?”

“Whatever you have I’d like to take a look at.”

She swept through the shop and picked up several rings with tweezers to put them on a little tray. When she came back, she presented the rings she had found. I looked at each of them and was about to leave frustratedly, already saying my goodbye to the woman when she realized she had forgotten one. She gurried to get it and presented it to me proudly.

A thin and light gold band with a beautiful emerald attached to it. The jewel sparkled in the light and I was hypnotised. This was Alex’s engagement ring. Only one more thing to get out of the way.

“How much is it?” I asked.

“700$,” she replied. I swallowed. That was the wage of one month when I had first started working.

“500?” I asked cautiously. She did not approve.

“No, it’s an old piece.”

“600?” She looked sceptical at first but I worked my puppy eyes. It worked.

“Deal…” she said, sighing a bit but shaking hands with me.

“Thank you so much,” I said. She packed the ring into a little velvet box and explained that I could bring it anytime to change the size for a small sum of money.

When I left the shop, I was walking happily, proudly and excitedly along the road on my way home.

I walked by the place I had used to live at, in a small cardboard box. Alex had picked me up though and since then, my life had only improved.

I thought about how much I loved him. I was so excited about this proposal thing. Now I only needed to actually propose. Cue anxiety.

Notes

We are now in summer! Are you all excited for the proposal? I hope so because I certainly am! c:

Also, thank you so much for 40,000 views! I'm so, so, so happy you like this! :3

-Laura