Gemotions

The cheap, floral wallpaper in the cafe seemed to mock Amelia. Another of *her* choices, probably. This entire afternoon, waiting for ‘David’, had felt like a slow burn of annoyance. She'd envisioned a charming, bookish type; the email exchanges had certainly painted that picture. Now, here was another woman, practically a carbon copy of herself in a too-bright, pastel dress, looking just as bewildered. Amelia’s jaw clenched. The matching purses, the shared nervous fidgeting, the way the other woman’s smile faltered… it was all incredibly irritating.

The barista, a teenager with a pierced lip, cleared their throat. "Are you both waiting for… David?" The air in the cafe thickened with unspoken accusations. Amelia took a long sip of her lukewarm coffee, carefully meeting the other woman’s gaze.

"I am," Amelia stated, her voice tight. The other woman’s face fell, and Amelia felt a flicker of something that might have been satisfaction. She decided she'd say nothing else until she saw David's face.