It Destroys You

Chapter 4

"You know life is worth the struggle when you look back and realise that what you have now is a lot better than what you had before." 

4. Bonding, Bredrins and a Baby

"So, what exactly are we doing today?" 

"Well, in order for you to get married, you first have to have a ring that justifies your engagement. So, we're going ring shopping and then we're going wardrobe shopping," Vanessa finished with a small smile on her face.

Vanessa had knocked on my door at ten o'clock this morning - just like she'd said - and I'd been watching TV, awaiting her arrival. I yawned and rubbed my eyes, feeling tired. "Not enough sleep last night?" Vanessa asked as her hands tapped the beat to Alicia Key's 'Unthinkable' that was playing softly. I nodded. 

Last night, I'd texted Cory before I went to sleep, thanking him for spending his day with me. He replied which triggered a whole conversation through text which had kept me up all night. 

"Or would it be so beautiful? 

Either way, I'm saying, 

If you ask me, I'm ready,

If you ask me, I'm ready." 

I remember hearing this song some time last year in my mum's car while she was driving me to school. I remembered this moment precisely because it was the first time that she'd ever driven me to school as she was always at work and as soon as Alicia Key's voice reached my ears, I had fallen in love with this song. The lyrics were amazing and suited extremely well with the instrumental. My mother absolutely loved Alicia Keys and it was really surprising because well, she was Asian! I'd never heard of a forty-year old Asian liking R'n'B but that was her! 

"How are you liking your new home?" Vanessa asked as she shook my out of thoughts. 

"Um, fine, thank you," I replied. Well, I was more than fine. It felt amazing to live the life of one with money. I just hoped that my family were doing and felt the same. She nodded. 

"And how's my boy treating you? Is he being nice?" she questioned with her eyes playfully narrowed. I thought about the question before answering and noticed that he was more than kind towards me. We didn't speak much - well, at all - but he still showered me with expensive gifts that I was more than thankful for but didn't exactly need them. 

"Too nice, Vanessa," I replied with a slight chuckle. She grinned and I watched as pride shone in her eyes. 

"That's my baby. I taught him all that he knows," she boasted as I smiled in return. The rest of the drive, we sat comfortable in silence and were thrown into our own thoughts.

After atleast half an hour, we finally arrived at very elite jewellery store on the other side of South London. The store practically screamed a million pounds and as we entered, I immediately felt out of place. The tiles were so white that my eyes stung and a large chandelier hung over a large glass case in the middle of the entire store. The workers all wore very prestigious suits and there wasn't a hair out of place on their heads. Well, you could imagine how I felt clad in my high waisted jeans, a loose white cropped top, my worn Doc. Martens and an army fatigue jacket - all thrifted - so as you can see, the door handle probably cost more than my outfit. 

Almost immediately, a worker came to assist us and Vanessa instantly got talking. I realised that she knew a lot about jewellery and seemed to be best friends with our assistant. My eyes wandered to a glass case that seemed to be abandoned at the back of the entire store and I found myself walking towards it. I was faced with vintage and antique jewellery which is what I really loved a lot. A silver ring with a jewel in the middle that was surrounded by smaller flower like petal shapes and detailed with silver jewels caught my eye and the more I inspected it, the more I fell in love with it. It was unique and breathtakingly beautiful.