Gemotions

The flickering neon sign of the all-night diner seemed to mock Clara with its relentless cheer. She hunched further into the booth, pulling her threadbare jacket tighter. The clatter of cutlery and the murmur of other patrons did nothing to soothe the tremor in her hands as she scrolled through her phone. "Are you sure?" she had typed, the words trembling along with her fingers. He had responded, "Yeah. I live downtown, a few blocks over from you." Her breath hitched.

Her stomach churned, a cold knot tightening with each passing second. She hadn't left her apartment in days, not since the argument with her roommate. Now, she felt exposed, vulnerable. This online friend, the one who knew everything, was suddenly… real. And close.

The waitress, a woman with kind eyes and a tired smile, placed a coffee in front of her. Clara managed a weak, “Thanks.” Then, she pushed the mug away, the bitter aroma making her feel worse. She felt a desperate need to disappear, to rewind time before that message had ever hit her screen.