Gemotions

Rain lashed against the window of the coffee shop, mirroring the storm brewing inside Amelia. She'd been nursing a lukewarm latte, meticulously sketching in her notebook, when *he* walked in. She knew that smirk anywhere.

He strolled right over, tugging up his sleeve with a flourish. There it was: her vibrant, swirling "Cosmic Dust" inked onto his forearm. The man grinned, flashing teeth that seemed too white. Amelia's hand tightened around her pen. A pulse hammered in her temple.

"You wouldn't believe how many compliments I get," he said, his voice grating on Amelia's ears. "It's, like, a conversation starter, you know?" She wanted to scream. Instead, she stared at the droplets of rain tracing patterns down the glass, silently willing them to wash her away.