Gemotions

He’d always felt so confident behind the keyboard. Now, Liam stared at Chloe, whose avatar was "Cosmic_Kitten," across the coffee shop table. His cheeks burned. He’d told her he was a world-renowned astrophysicist. He was currently failing a basic astronomy course.

He fiddled with his straw, the plastic crinkling under his nervous fingers.

Chloe's gaze swept over him, her expression unreadable.

He’d regaled her with elaborate stories of his research, his travels, his supposed brilliance. Now, he was trapped. He could feel his ears turning red.

He mumbled something about a sudden appointment and bolted out, knocking over his chair in the process. The image of the chair toppling over, followed by the sound of its impact, was going to replay over and over in his head.