Gemotions

She tapped her foot, a staccato beat against the hardwood floor that echoed in the otherwise quiet coffee shop. The barista called her name, but Maya barely registered it. Across the small, round table, Liam fidgeted, his smile strained. He’d just told her, casually, as if it was a grocery run, that he was leaving for Seattle. The world seemed to shrink, the sounds of the cafe fading to a dull hum. She felt a prickling sensation across the back of her neck, a tightening in her chest.