Snow billowed across the bridge in front of me, swirling in erratic patterns across the street lights. I never really minded walking on my college campus. I couldn't afford a car and walking to and from class gave me time to think. Tonight, I had been waylaid finishing an assignment and was late meeting my girlfriend Serena for dinner. It was our two year anniversary and the engagement ring I was going to give her bounced in my breast pocket with each step I took.
Serena is the love of my life. She's 22 and just over 5 feet tall with silky jet black hair and large black glasses. She is bubbly and outgoing with small perky breasts and a hearty laugh. She's also a runner with an ass that proves she spent every day working out. Her body is to die for, although coursework prevented us from exploring each other as often as we wished. Serena and I had already discussed plans for after graduation and we planned on moving in together. We both had gotten jobs in a city further south from where we went to school. We joked about potentially getting married in the warm weather and having a honeymoon before starting work. I was fairly confident that Serena would agree to marry me, but I was nervous all the same walking to the restaurant in town.
Lost in my thoughts, I stepped on something hard hidden in the snow and I staggered slightly on the icy bridge. I cursed to myself and brushed the fine powder of snow away revealing a small, but worn black box. This box was identical to the one tucked safely away in my jacket, holding the cheapest engagement ring I could find. I took both boxes out and opened them side by side. Whomever had lost their ring in the snow clearly had more disposable income than I had.
The new ring was silver and glittered with small rubies and a large black diamond in the center. Looking more closely, I could see that the ring was a dragon twisting in on itself and belting fire towards its tail. I couldn't believe my luck and swapped the two rings, placing this new mysterious ring in the clean box. I suppose finders-keepers and Serena really deserved the best. I placed the cheap engagement ring back in the box and returned it to the snow. Maybe someone else could use that one.
***
"You're late again" said Serena with a slight pout as I sat at the table.
"I know, I know... I'm sorry. Taylor had me working on converging our column simulation before tomorrow's lecture. How did you get yours to work?"
Serena twirled her matte black hair in her fingers biting her lip playfully.
"With a bit of persuasion," she cooed, "I simply reset the property package to a non-ideal system and reran the simulation with custom interaction parameters."
Did I mention Serena was an absolute genius? We met freshmen year in our Chemical Engineering courses and let's just say there was some Chemistry between us. Since then, she has consistently dominated me on every homework and exam. It is incredibly frustrating. It is also incredibly hot.
I huffed out a feeble excuse and shrugged my coat off around me chair. As I did so, I watched as the velvet box in my pocket fly onto the table with a clatter. It knocked over Serena's water glass, spilling into her lap and over her dark red dress. She shrieked at first, startled by the water, but her eyes grew wide with excitement looking at the box.
"Oh my God! Jack? Is this what I think it is?" Serena said breathlessly. Her breasts heaving up and down in excitement. A slight flush crept up her neck as her eyes slightly swam with tears.
I had no idea how the box had just jumped out of my pocket, but I tried to play it off as intentional. She seemed to have completely forgotten about the water now soaking through on her lap. Serena picked up the box and clicked it open, gasping as she looked at the ring. I thought I saw a flash of red in her hazel eyes as she delicately removed the ring from the case.
"It's so beautiful. I don't think I've seen anything like this before. It looks like a serpent, no a dragon from a fairy-tale. These rubies..." her voice trailed off as she looked transfixed at the ring. Completely mesmerized, she flipped the ring in her palm and put it on her left ring finger. She gasped as it slid down. A slightly audible moan left her lips and she closed her eyes in ecstasy.
