Gemotions

The smell of coffee permeated the breakroom, but it did little to soothe Maya’s restlessness. Liam, leaning against the counter, was the center of attention, narrating his tales of Camp Clearwater. Maya felt the urge to leave, but she couldn't. She needed to know everything.

He described a daring midnight swim, and Maya’s jaw clenched. She remembered her own moonlit escapades at Clearwater with sharp clarity. But she had kept those memories locked away, afraid of sounding boastful. Now, Liam, a newcomer, was painting a picture of a summer she felt he had no right to portray.

“It was the best summer of my life,” Liam declared, beaming. Maya abruptly turned and walked out, grabbing her lunch bag with a force that almost tore the plastic.