Gemotions

The scent of lilacs filled the air as he walked toward her, the same perfume she’d always worn. He felt a strange excitement, a lightness in his step, and the memory of their stolen kisses, the summer nights spent stargazing on the porch, flooded his mind. He’d envisioned this moment for years.

“Olivia?” he asked, his voice cracking slightly. She turned, and his heart sank. He saw no flicker of recognition in her eyes, only a polite curiosity. He could feel it in his chest, and his breath got shallow.

“Yes?” she responded, her voice a melodic sound, that left him struggling for words.

“It’s… Jake,” he stammered, feeling the blood rush to his face. "We used to… you know." He felt a strange, burning heat rising through his veins.

A pause. Then: "I don't recall a Jake." The words hit him like a physical blow. He felt a deep ache within him, a need to move, to leave, to disappear.