😭

"Simone, what a pleasant surprise, what are you doing here?" Shi asked as she looked back at me from the other side of Lee's apartment door, her long black hair pulled back into a high ponytail, a white and purple flowered blouse adorning her body with a pair of blue jeans.

I looked back at her nervously. "I figured that maybe you'd be watching Lee's place while he was out of town, and I had a question about something."

She frowned slightly, probably noticing my nervousness but stepped aside so that I could enter. "Of course, come on in."

- - -

"So what's going on? What did you want to ask me?" She questioned as she sat across from me on the other couch.

I dug in my purse before grasping the ring in the palm of my hand. "I don't know if Lee told you how we met, but the first night he ended up proposing to me, although I didn't take the proposal seriously he told me to just keep the ring."

Shi nodded. "He filled me in on the details."

I sighed. "Well, I went to try to return the ring today in order to get a refund, and return his money, but the shop keeper said that it was no ring of his. I have my suspicions, but I wanted to confirm them with you." I said lightly, my heart pounding hardly within my chest as I stretched forth my hand to give her the ring. "Shi, have you by any chance seen this ring before?"

Shi took the ring from me, frowning hardly before recognition lit her face. "That idiot." She whispered, almost smiling a bit before looking back at me.

"Simone, I know you're probably still iffy about this whole relationship thing with Lee, but one thing that I can say about my cousin is that he always follows the rules, he never does things on impulse, and he's always cool, calm, and collected," she trailed, "but as I look at you, and look at this ring in my hand, I see that maybe there's still more to Lee that I haven't seen, but I know one thing for sure, my cousin's head over heels in love with you. I mean, he has to be to lie about this ring in order to not scare you off." She said, noticing the look on my face.

"and I'm sure you've figured out where this ring came from, yes?" She asked.

"I have an idea.." I whispered.

She smiled down at the ring, "Yes, it's our great great grandmother's ring that has been passed down in our family to the first born males to use whenever they're ready to propose to someone special." She said, handing it back to me, "It means that they're serious about having that woman in their lives, and I suppose this was Lee's way of telling you without really having to tell you that he loves you. Even though he seems so calm, he's really a coward at heart who's afraid to get hurt."

I took the ring back, holding it tightly. "I know I shouldn't be, but I'm scared. I have a lot of doubts, even though I know that I shouldn't."

Shi smiled wistfully. "I think we all have doubts from time to time. I just think it depends on whether or not we're brave enough to take on those doubts anyways no matter the outcome." She said, "There could be a chance that things don't work out between you two, but there could also be a chance that they do, and as far as I can see, I don't see the first thing happening." She winked, "Take that ring back with you and think everything over, come up with your decision, scared or not, and then talk to Lee. He'll understand no matter what, I promise."

I smiled gratefully as I stood up from the couch. "Thanks, Shi. I appreciate it."

"Any time," she smiled, although if I hadn't been listening closely I wouldn't have heard the words she said under her breath, as she lead me to the front door and waved goodbye.

I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot more of you though.