Gemotions

The world felt brighter, sharper since finding out Chloe went to Camp Redwood too. Mark felt a strange compulsion to match her energy. He’d started getting up earlier and picking out his clothes with more care.

"You were the one who always beat everyone at Capture the Flag, right?" Chloe asked with a grin. Mark's stomach did a flip.

"Guilty as charged," he replied, attempting a casual shrug, the movement feeling practiced, deliberate. He’d spend hours thinking about how she must have perceived him back then.

He'd start leaving quirky little gifts on her desk: a vintage camp T-shirt, a book of nature photography, anything that could spark conversation. His productivity plummeted, replaced by a constant, low-level buzz of anticipation. Every email he sent, every errand he ran, was now filtered through the lens of her approval.