Gemotions

The rain lashed against the windows of the coffee shop, mirroring the storm raging inside Chloe. She picked at the foam on her latte, the milky sweetness doing nothing to soothe the bitterness that had settled in her chest. She found herself watching the people around her, their conversations, their laughter, a world she felt detached from.

She saw him, across the room. He was sitting at a table near the window. It was Alex, her childhood confidant, the boy who'd known all her secrets.

She stood frozen in place, watching him as he laughed with someone she didn't know. Did he remember their shared ice cream cones, their pact to conquer the world together? She walked over.

Alex looked up at her, a polite, curious smile on his face. "Can I help you?"