Gemotions

Michael, usually a man of booming laughter, felt a prickle of unease crawl up his neck. He'd purchased the worn copy of *Pride and Prejudice* specifically to impress Sarah, a woman he'd been trying to woo for weeks. He'd hoped the classic would signal his supposed intellectual depth. Now, he wished he’d chosen something less...predictable.

A small, crinkled note fell out. He picked it up.

He felt his face flush as he read the childish scrawl. The letter was addressed to “My Dearest Elizabeth,” and went on to describe, in painfully vivid detail, a childhood crush and a disastrous first kiss involving a melting ice cream cone and a runaway puppy.

He glanced around, suddenly acutely aware of every other person browsing the store. He stuffed the letter into his pocket, his fingers clumsy with the sudden urge to hide it. He knew he'd have to destroy it, or risk some terrible fate. He had to act quickly, before Sarah walked in.