Paul knew this was a bad idea. Nothing good ever came out when he kept secrets, especially from Brad. His uncle was easy to fool, but not the magician. Brad was too nosy and stubborn to let him off the hook. So he was panicking internally when Alex said that maybe the whole 4-Minutes gang should visit Vajra Jewelry and Gift Shop to get some accessories for their upcoming competition.

“Fine! But we have to go there when no one is around,” Paul warned.

“Yeah, yeah, you don’t want your talking cat uncle to catch us,” Joseph said as they walked down the street on a Wednesday evening.

“Not Uncle Howard,” Paul replied. “Brad. She’s the storekeeper. Also, she’s a little bit of a magician.”

“Does she pull rabbits from her hat?” Joseph sarcastically asked.

Paul shook his head and glared at all three of his bandmates. “She knows how to control magic and spells. She has been practicing magic since she was young, and she can cast a hex on you if you’re not careful.”

“Your family is quite an odd one,” Alex said. “Not that there’s anything inherently bad about being odd. Are you sure you’re not hiding anything fantastical from us, Paul? You seem so... plain.”

Paul shrugged. “My father was once a cat. I didn’t seem to inherit any of his cat-like features.”

“Enough chatter,” Ken butted in. “We’re here.”

The jewelry shop was in front of the four teenagers. Paul sighed in relief when he saw that Brad was not manning the cash register nor sorting out the beads and gems inside the store. “The coast is clear,” he announced. “Let’s get this over with before Brad catches us.”

The four entered the premises as quietly as they could. Alex, Joseph, and Ken’s mouths were agape in awe as they looked at the different displays of colorful gemstones and beads. The smell of freshly burnt incense still permeated the air. Paul wasted no time guiding the three to the display counter and presenting them with different gems to choose from.

“You swear you all are going to pay for these?” Paul said.

“We have cash, don’t worry,” Joseph replied nonchalantly.

They each took turns mixing and matching gemstones. Ken went first. He was drawn to the obsidian and amethyst stones, admiring the combination of black and purple. Paul measured three bracelets for his right wrist and prepared the jewelry for him. When he was done, Ken smiled and simply replied, “It’s beautiful.”

Next went Joseph. Joseph wanted something fire red for his chest and arms, so Paul suggested a ruby bracelet and necklace set. It was also more expensive, but Joseph brushed off the price and went for it anyway. Paul took his measurements and created a necklace with a large ruby pendant and a bracelet featuring smaller ruby beads.

“Hell yeah! This would look fire!” Joseph shouted before he was shushed by the entire group.

“Your turn, Alex,” Paul said. The two locked eyes, and Paul suddenly felt a surge of warmth through his cheeks. He took Alex’s hands and asked, “What gem do you want?”

“Ah, I do like the something orange,” Alex replied in a low voice. “Jasper looks nice. Maybe two bracelets for my left hand will do.”

Paul brought out the jasper beads and started working on Alex’s bracelet. He could sense Alex’s gaze on him, and suddenly he felt twice as self-conscious. He was begging himself internally not to screw things up. His fingers trembled, but he managed to shoot all the beads into the strings. He gently grabbed Alex’s hand. He gingerly tied the bracelets on him, all the while the two shared secret, awkward glances.

“Are you two done?” Joseph asked.

Were they holding hands that long? Paul immediately let go, but not before finishing the bracelet. Alex admired the craftsmanship and smiled. “You did an amazing job, Paul.”

Paul gave a shy smile back. “Thanks.”

“You know, you two make a good pair,” Joseph teased. “But that better not get in the way of our band.”

“Oh, shut up, Joseph,” Alex replied. “Anyways, how much do we owe you, Paul?”

Everyone paid for the accessories. Paul happily opened the cash register and tucked the money away. “We should get out now,” Paul replied.

They were all about to get up from their seat, but they found it difficult to lift their behinds off their chairs. “What the hell?” Joseph was the first to react. “We’re stuck!”

“Aw! Look who decided to work behind the counter tonight.”

Everyone turned around and saw Brad standing by the back door, arms crossed. She swiped her fingers, and suddenly everyone was let loose from their seats again. Paul immediately stood up and said, “I’m sorry, Brad! We just needed some jewelry.”

Brad raised an eyebrow. “All three of your friends need jewelry at the same time? You are quite the salesman, Paul. And not to mention, a skilled jeweler at that.”

“It’s a friend's thing,” Alex suddenly said. “We want to have jewelry too because we saw Paul having a collection. He made it seem so cool and edgy.”

“Expensive friendship bracelets,” Ken added.

Brad sighed and said. “Whatever floats your boats. Kids these days, I swear. You'd better take care of those gemstones because acquiring them is not easy.”

“Yes, ma’am!” everyone replied.

“Now, go!” With a flick of a finger, all of the teenagers suddenly found themselves standing outside the store in a flash. They looked at each other before bursting with laughter.

“Let’s get some grub,” Joseph suggested. “I’m starving!”

Ken and Joseph walked ahead. Before they left, Alex turned to Paul and softly said, “About Joseph’s comment—

Paul shook his head and whispered back. “Let them guess. I like to play hard to get.”

The two shared a smile and followed their friends for dinner.