The Emerald Ring

I twisted the ring around my ring finger. I was always worried I was going to lose it- what if it fell down on the floor and I couldn't find it? what if it fell into a sewer? what if someone stole it? what if- I stopped when I realized my brother was staring at my hand twisting the ring. I stopped twisting but didn't let go of the ring. My mind flashed back to last night when I has eavesdropped on my brother and my mom's conversation.

"George, she is young and experienced a very tragic event. Of course the poor girl is scared," My mom said frowning at my brother. My brother was facing away from me but I could imagine him rolling his eyes. "Mom it's been a whole year since then! And have you heard her talk about him? It's like she still believes he is alive, like he'll magically appear by the door one day." My mom bit her lip and looked to the ground, "yeah.. about that."

"Mom." My brother's hands curled into a fist. "Mom, tell me you told her he is dead. Tell me she doesn't think Nico is alive."

"George, don't you think we tried? Me and your dad took turns trying to explain it to her many times but it never ended well. She almost ran away once! Each time she just pushes the truth away.. she is in denial. I don't know what she believes but as far as I can tell she doesn't believe he is dead."

"But he is dead. Nico is dead."

That's all I had heard, afterwards I had backed away and climbed onto my bed hugging my stuffed animal in my arm staring at the emerald ring on my finger. Nico had given it to me, on my 15th birthday last year. He said the color matched my eyes and how it was his favorite color in the whole world. I had even bought him a brown ring, just like mine for his birthday but i didn't have a chance to give it to him yet. Not cause he was dead like my family keeps insisting. He is just gone but he'll be back, he said so. No, he promised he would.

Ding! The elevator stopped but it wasn't on the ground floor. It was on the third floor. "Whoops, sorry for the intrusion!" A blonde lady in around mid twenties said as she stepped into the elevator. My brother smiled his polite closed smile as I ignored her and went back to twisting my ring. The lady's gaze drifted to my ring. "My, my! What a lovely ring! Mind if I examine it?" Her hand reached over for my hand. For MY ring. She was gonna steal it. I knew it. I slapped her hand away as it came closer. "Don't touch it. It's mine. Not yours," I growled, glaring at the lady.

"Anna," My brother had only said my name but it snapped me out of my anger. I gazed down at the floor as he stared at me with the intensity of the sun. "Apologize."

"I'm sorry," I muttered under my breath.

"Oh no worries, I just loved your ring that's all," She said smiling, but it was fake. I knew it was. It was like the smiles everyone gave me when Nico had left. Left not died.

30 minutes later I was sitting on a rock in the middle of our local creek, gliding my hands through the crystal clear water. My brother was sitting on the shore watching me, he kept doing that ever since the elevator incident and I had been constantly trying to avoid his gaze. This was our bonding time our parents had forced upon us, but the conversation from last night just kept spiralling in my head. Nico wasn't dead, George was just jealous. Jealous of my ring. "Anna." My head snapped up to where my brother was sitting. "You were being rude." I stared at him blankly. "You were rude to the lady before," He explained. I glanced down back at the river, just ignore him. In through one ear and out through the other. "It's just a ring Ann." Something stirred inside me at his word. Just a ring? Just a ring?!! "It's not just a ring George. Nico gave it to me. He would be furious if I lost it. He saved up a lot to buy it for me. He worked very hard. He will be-"

"Anna he isn't alive," My brother said.

"What?"

"He is dead Ann. Nico is dead."

"No.. stop lying. stop."

"I am not lying and you know it. Nico died-"

"NO!" My heart started racing fast.

"-in a car crash-"

"NO. STOP." My heart started racing faster.

"-on Feb 14-"

"Stop lying!" More faster.

"Last year. It's been a year since he died Anna. Stop fighting it."

"He DIDN'T." He wouldn't......

"You have to stop denying it. You can't move on unless you accept it."

"HE DIDN'T DIE." I couldn't take it anymore, my heart was hammering against my chest. I reached for my ring but my hand grasped my empty bare fingers. MY RING. "Anna?" I lifted my hands from the water but the ring was gone. It wasn't on my fingers. IT WAS MISSING. "Anna!" I jumped up and desperately splashed the water. Where is my ring?? MY RING... My brother grabbed my shoulders and lifted them making him face him. "What's wrong Anna?" He asked concern filling my eyes.

"My ring!!" I sobbed. George's eyes searched the river but his face fell, like he had lost hope. But I couldn't lose hope, I needed to find my ring. I tried to get away from George's grasp but his grip was strong, refusing to let go. "Anna it's just a ring. You have to let it go!"

"IT'S NOT JUST A RING!!" I screamed at him. "You DON'T get it George. The ring was the ONLY thing I had left of Nico! And if he really.. if he really...really.."

"Died?" George suggested. I nodded, I didn't want to say it.

"If he really did.. then that's the only thing from him I will ever have."

George kneeled beside me his pants soaking in the creek. "Now that's where you are wrong Ann. You have something else way more precious from him than the ring." I frowned in confusion, what else might nico have given me? "Your memories," George answered. "You and him have known each other since you were practically in diapers. Nico was there with you ever step of the way. And you made so many memories together stored right here." He tapped on my head. "Remember the time we all came fishing here and you and him used to play prince and princess of the creek? And then you skinned your knee and he practically carried you to our campsite. He was always chivalrous wasn't he?" I nodded my eyes watering at the memory. "Or remember when I kept Mr.Teddy captive cause you took my phone without permission and how you and him planned this whole set of pranks on me just to get it back?"

"He was always there for me," I whispered tears now running down my cheek. I tried wiping them away but they just kept flowing it was like a dam inside me had opened. All the emotions I bottled up for a year came undone. "He even stood up for me against Megan. The most popular but biggest bully at school. He threw a pie at her," I remembered. George chuckled at this. "But is he... is he really.. really dead?" I said barely whispering the last word. George's eyes softened as he wrapped me in a hug. "I'm afraid so Ann."

I sobbed into his chest until my eyes got puffy with no more water in them and my cheeks were wet and george's t-shirt was soaked in my tears. "I... I wish he was here," I said looking up at George.

"Me too.. But in a way, he is. I am sure he is right here, beside us listening to the conversations following you around everyday. We just can't see him." I nodded smiling.

"Thanks george..." I gazed at my bare fingers which felt empty without the ring. George followed my gaze. "Tell you what," he said. "Why don't I buy you a ring?" I looked up at him with surprise evident in my face. "Really? You would buy me one? An emerald one just like the one I had?" I clarified.

"Uhh.. sure. Whatever you want-" he paused "-just make sure you don't get attached too much to it this time."

I smiled, "yeah no worries. I got something I'm not gonna lose easily, my memories."

"Exactly."