Gemotions

She paced her living room, her steps quick and erratic, her arms wrapped around herself as if she were cold. The words of the message danced in her vision: "I'm at the park, near the fountain. Come and find me!" She chewed on her lip, a nervous habit she thought she'd broken years ago. Her head throbbed. This couldn't be true. It was a nightmare.

She ran a hand through her hair, tangling her fingers in the strands. The online connection, the shared jokes, the late-night talks… all of it, suddenly, was about to become *real*. She felt a pressure building in her chest, a painful constriction that made it hard to draw a full breath. She picked up a cushion and hugged it, squeezing it so tight her knuckles turned white.

The park. The fountain. She had to go. She had to see. She let out a short, desperate whimper. She needed to know.