The cafe buzzed, a low hum of chatter and the clatter of ceramic against saucers. Liam fiddled with the straw in his iced coffee, twisting it until the plastic threatened to snap. He spotted Maya across the room, her hair pulled back, laughing with someone he didn't recognize. He swallowed, the familiar tightness in his chest beginning to constrict his breathing. He hadn't seen her in years, not since… well, since everything. He told himself he could just turn around, that he didn't need this. But the sight of her had rooted him to his chair.
He watched her, a knot forming in his stomach. Taking a deep breath, he rose, each step a monumental effort. He practiced a casual smile, the muscles in his face protesting. "Maya?" he said, his voice sounding strangely high-pitched. She looked up, her expression friendly, but… blank.
"Yes?" she replied, her brows furrowing slightly. He felt a cold wash over him, as if the air conditioning had suddenly been turned to full blast. His carefully rehearsed opening lines evaporated. He felt his face flush.
"It's… Liam," he stammered, the name sounding foreign on his tongue. He waited, the seconds stretching into an eternity.