Gemotions

Sarah's phone slipped from her hand, landing with a soft thud on the hardwood floor. The screen illuminated the ceiling, a stark white rectangle in the dim light of Liam’s apartment. “Boston?” she mouthed, the word barely a whisper. Liam nodded, a sheepish look on his face. She’d always known they’d go their separate ways eventually, but the thought of it had always been theoretical, a distant possibility.

Her fingers felt numb. She bent to pick up the phone, her movements slow, deliberate. It was as if her body was moving in slow motion, struggling to catch up with her racing thoughts. Images flashed through her mind: late-night talks, shared laughter, inside jokes that only the two of them understood. All of it, now, tainted with the sharp sting of farewell.

She straightened slowly, offering Liam a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. The silence in the room was deafening.