Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of the coffee shop, mirroring the unsettled feeling churning in Amelia's stomach. She stirred her latte mechanically, the spoon clinking against the ceramic in a repetitive, unsettling rhythm. Across from her, Liam was recounting the details of their camping trip last summer. A smile played on his lips as he described the "hilarious" incident with the raccoon and their half-eaten marshmallows.

She remembered it differently.

She recalled the biting chill of the evening air, the persistent dampness that soaked through her clothes, and the sheer terror she felt when the animal had approached. For her, it was a night of shivering and apprehension.

“Don’t you remember how terrified I was?” she finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Liam blinked, his smile faltering. “Terrified? No, I thought it was pretty funny, actually. You were laughing along with us, weren't you?” A heavy silence descended. The rain intensified, and Amelia felt a familiar weight pressing down on her chest.