Gemotions

The elevator doors chimed open, and Maya stepped out into the lobby, her heart hammering against her ribs. There, leaning against the reception desk, scrolling through her phone, was *him*. The guy she'd spent months arguing with online – "Philosopher_King" – over politics, movies, and the merits of pineapple on pizza.

She felt a rush of anger and a strange, unfamiliar flutter. It wasn't the good kind. It felt like her insides were churning. All the scathing comebacks she’d carefully crafted, the witty insults she'd crafted in the dead of night, now felt… pointless. He looked up, and their eyes met.

A strange, involuntary twitch ran down Maya’s cheek. She wanted to turn around and run, but her feet felt rooted to the floor.