Gemotions

The cafe buzzed with the afternoon rush. Sunlight streamed through the large windows, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Amelia, a nervous flutter in her chest, spotted David across the room. He was older, more polished than the boy she remembered, but the tilt of his head, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled – it was him. She approached, heart thudding a frantic rhythm. "David? It's me, Amelia."

He looked at her, a polite, blank expression on his face. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met." A polite smile. A flicker of puzzlement. He continued to watch her.

Amelia’s cheeks burned. The familiar warmth that had bloomed in her chest at seeing him now threatened to wither. "We were best friends, years ago. At the lake… remember building that terrible sandcastle?" Her voice cracked a little.

David simply shook his head, his brow furrowing slightly, as if trying to recall something that was utterly lost to him. He was a stranger.