Gemotions

The salt spray kissed Amelia’s face as she steered the sailboat through the turquoise water. The sun beat down, warming her skin, and the gentle rocking of the vessel lulled her into a state of blissful calm. Last night's picnic on the beach with Ben had been perfect, the kind of easy companionship she'd always longed for. She felt buoyant, like she could float away with the seabirds. Life was finally aligning.

That evening, she was meeting Ben at a jazz club. She spotted him across the room, already laughing with a woman with dark curly hair. Relief washed over her as she noticed the woman's obvious affection toward him. Amelia walked towards them, and they turned to greet her.

“Amelia, this is Chloe,” Ben said, his smile genuine. “Chloe, Amelia.”

The woman's eyes widened with what looked like recognition, which prompted Amelia to turn towards her date. “Hi, Ben! Having a good time?”