Gemotions

The chipped porcelain mug felt heavy in Clara's hand. Liam sat across from her, grinning, oblivious. "Remember that disastrous karaoke night?" he chortled, "You were *terrible* singing 'Bohemian Rhapsody'!" Her jaw tightened. She took a slow, deliberate sip of her tea, the scalding liquid doing little to soothe the sudden heat rising in her chest.

"I thought *you* were the one who blanked on the words," she finally stated, her voice flat. Liam waved a dismissive hand.

"Oh, yeah, the chorus. But after you, well, it was a train wreck." Clara's knuckles turned white. She set the mug down with a thump. Her smile felt like a mask.

"Actually, I recall it quite differently," she said, her tone deliberately saccharine. She suddenly found the patterns in the tablecloth incredibly fascinating, studying them intently. The flush on her cheeks felt like a betrayal.