Gemotions

The cold, sterile air of the elevator pressed in on David. He felt the familiar weight of dread settling on his shoulders. He was trapped with Emily, the woman he’d been secretly admiring for months. He thought of the way her laugh crinkled the corners of her eyes.

Emily began to hum, a soft, lilting melody. It was a song he recognized, a song his grandmother used to sing. He closed his eyes, remembering the warmth of his grandmother’s kitchen, the comforting scent of baking bread.

He opened his eyes and noticed Emily staring. He smiled back, a genuine, easy smile that felt surprisingly natural. He knew, as the emergency lights flickered, that he would be forever in her debt for this experience.