Gemotions

The cafe smelled of expensive coffee and something vaguely floral, like the perfume the woman across the table wore. Sarah’s carefully applied lipstick felt thick and suddenly wrong. Across the table, Chloe beamed, her eyes sparkling as she described her new life in Paris. Sarah forced a smile, the muscles in her jaw tightening.

Chloe’s recollection of childhood games, the treehouse they’d built, the secret language they’d invented – all of it was met with blank stares. Sarah’s heart sank, a cold weight pressing against her ribs. She picked at the croissant on her plate, the flakiness suddenly unappetizing.

"It's just so *magical* there," Chloe gushed. Sarah nodded, her response a hollow echo. Paris. Magical. All the things Sarah had once dreamed of, now seemingly stolen by the woman who’d forgotten her. A sour taste coated her mouth. She excused herself to the restroom, needing to escape the bright, happy light radiating from her former best friend.