Gemotions

Eliza clutched the strap of her handbag, her knuckles white. She found herself standing outside Leo's apartment door, the number 4B staring back at her. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage. She hadn't expected to see him again, not after… the silence. He'd moved on, of course. Everybody did.

She rang the doorbell, the sound echoing in the hallway. She immediately wanted to snatch her hand back. When the door opened, Leo stood there, a half-smile playing on his lips. He was older, more polished, but still… him. "Can I help you?" he asked, his gaze polite, but distant.

Her throat constricted. She opened her mouth, but only a small sound emerged. It was a choked, pathetic squeak.

"Eliza?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly, a flicker of confusion crossing his features. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" Her carefully constructed facade crumbled.