Gemotions

Maya’s jaw went slack. Across the bustling coffee shop, Liam was staring back at her, a half-eaten scone suspended in his hand. They’d been chatting online for months, swapping playlists and late-night anxieties. She’d always imagined him in some faraway land, a bohemian soul roaming the globe. Now, here he was, in a faded band t-shirt, across the table from her. Her fingers fumbled for her phone; she needed to confirm, to make sure her brain wasn't malfunctioning.

His face broke into a hesitant smile. "Maya? Wow."

She could only manage a nod, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. The world seemed to shrink, the coffee shop noise fading into a dull hum. All she could focus on was the slightly crooked nose she'd come to know so well through video calls, now only a foot away.