Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mimicking the agitated rhythm in Clara's chest. Liam was at his pottery class, as he was every Tuesday evening, leaving the apartment echoing with a silence that felt heavy enough to suffocate. She'd been wandering aimlessly, tidying a cupboard she'd just tidied the day before when she stumbled upon a small, leather-bound notebook tucked away in the back of his sock drawer. Curiosity, a rare visitor these days, pricked at her.

Inside, scrawled in Liam's familiar hand, was a list. Bucket List, it declared. She scanned the items: "Learn to surf," "See the Northern Lights," "Write a novel." The last one, at the bottom, felt like a punch to the gut: "Fall in love again." Her breath hitched.

Her eyes blurred. The rain outside seemed to intensify, matching the growing sting behind her eyes. Did he feel the same way? The list was a stark reminder of the adventures they weren't having, the dreams left unchased. The apartment felt colder.