Gemotions

A bead of sweat trickled down Maya’s temple, but she hardly noticed. She’d been pacing in her room for an hour, the worn rug under her feet growing increasingly familiar. The words her cousin, Liam, had spoken earlier echoed in her mind: “I’ve found something… meaningful.” Now, he would be joining their family for dinner tonight, and she could hardly contain herself.

She took a deep breath, smoothing down her dress. The scent of Jasmine, Liam’s favorite, wafted from the diffuser in her room, and she focused on the fragrance to calm her nerves. She ran her fingers through her hair, picturing how he might look when he spoke, all the new information he was going to share. She was already mentally planning her questions.

The doorbell chimed. Maya's pulse quickened. She took one last glance in the mirror, a smile blooming across her face, and then hurried to greet him, every step charged with eagerness.