Gemotions

From her vantage point in the cafe, Sarah observed the argument unfolding at the table next to her. Her friend, Chloe, was relaying the details of their disastrous camping trip, with each detail presented in a way that made Sarah seem like the villain. She had just finished describing Sarah supposedly leaving Chloe with a snake nearby.

"You bolted, Sarah! I saw a snake! I was petrified! And you disappeared!" Chloe's voice trembled, her hands gesturing wildly, as if still reliving her panic.

Sarah sighed, the weight of Chloe's anger heavy in her chest. She remembered it differently. She remembered the fear in Chloe’s eyes, the way she froze. The snake was a small garter snake that was gone after a minute. Sarah remembered staying beside Chloe and helping her calm down. She remembered the kindness she had shown in the face of fear. “I panicked too, remember? But I stayed with you, Chloe,” she murmured, her voice barely audible over the cafe's bustle. She felt such a deep desire to comfort.