Gemotions

Rain hammered against the windows of the coffee shop, mirroring the frantic drumming in Amelia's chest. She traced the rim of her untouched latte, the warmth doing little to penetrate the icy feeling that had settled in her stomach. Across the small, round table, Liam laughed, his face animated as he recounted a story about his recent backpacking trip. He gestured with his hands, the same hands that had once built elaborate Lego castles with her. She knew every ridge and curve of those hands.

"So, I swear, this monkey just snatched my granola bar right out of my hand!" Liam boomed, his voice echoing in the nearly empty cafe. Amelia smiled politely, a thin, almost brittle expression. He didn’t notice the lack of genuine amusement.

Later, walking home under the grey sky, a gust of wind sent a shiver through her. She hugged herself, a familiar ache blooming in her chest, the same one she felt every evening. The cobblestone streets seemed vast and empty, even with a few late-night revelers stumbling past. That specific ache always seemed to be amplified, as though the world had no edges, no boundaries, only an emptiness that threatened to swallow her whole.