Gemotions

The photograph, faded and creased, felt like a burning brand in Clara's hand. It depicted her and Ethan, grinning goofily at the camera, their arms slung around each other's shoulders. Now, Ethan stood before her, his expression a polite mask of ignorance. “I’m sorry, I don’t recognize this.”

Clara clenched her jaw. She felt the urge to rip the photo in two, to destroy the evidence of a shared past he'd so easily discarded. Instead, she took a deep breath, her chest expanding. "Oh, that's just fine," she said, her voice colder than the November wind whipping around them.

She tossed the photo into the nearest trash bin. "It's not important anymore." She turned and walked away, the wind tearing at her hair, her gaze fixed resolutely ahead.