Gemotions

The cafe buzzed with the afternoon rush, but Sarah felt disconnected, as if observing the scene from a distant shore. Her fingers drummed a rapid tattoo against the cool glass of her iced latte. Across the small table, Liam, her childhood confidant, laughed at something the woman next to him said. His face, etched with lines she didn't recall, tilted in a way that felt foreign, utterly unknown.

A tremor coursed through her, a sudden, sharp jolt that made her spine stiffen. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words seemed to catch, trapped in her throat. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic bird attempting escape. "Liam?" she managed, her voice barely a whisper above the cafe's din.

He turned, the smile instantly fading. He blinked, studying her with a polite curiosity that sliced through her like a shard of ice. "Do I know you?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly.