“I thought you didn’t like birthday parties.”
James started. “Rinly, you know I don’t like you sneaking up on me like that.”
Rinly coughed. “Sorry.”
She was so fragile. The short, black dress accentuated her thin, pale calves and her tiny shoulder. Her arms, almost all bone, could barely hold the dark mahogany box that they carried. Sighing, James took the burden from her and kissed the top of her blonde hair.
“You didn’t have to come, you know,” he said, placing the box on the ground. He hadn’t got a great look at it, but it was beautiful, of course. Gold detailing on the edges that transformed into tiny veins of silver across the whole surface.
“This one seemed interesting,” she responded. “I haven’t gotten a broken heart in a long time.”
“Ah, of course,” James said. He offered his arm. “Shall we go, then? It should almost be time.”