Gemotions

"You were… a friend?" He tilted his head, the sunlight catching the gold flecks in his eyes. The words, delivered with genuine confusion, were a physical blow. She'd searched for him for years, dreamed of this reunion. He remembered nothing. She’d tried, desperately, to bring back the memories – the treehouse, the stolen cookies, the secret language they’d invented. Each attempt was met with a polite, blank stare. The air suddenly felt thick, suffocating. She wanted to shout, to shake him until the memories flooded back. Instead, she forced a smile, a brittle, fragile thing. She excused herself and walked away, the ache in her chest a constant, gnawing presence.