Gemotions

The cafe smelled of burnt coffee and something faintly floral, like the scent of faded dreams. Sarah watched Liam across the small, round table. He laughed at something his companion, a woman with vibrant red hair, said. The sound was bright, untroubled. It bounced off the tiled floor and seemed to fill the air, a stark contrast to the quiet ache settling in Sarah's chest. She traced the rim of her coffee cup, the ceramic cool against her fingertips.

He didn't recognize her. Not a flicker of recognition in his eyes when she'd introduced herself. "Liam, remember me? Sarah?" He'd smiled politely, offered a handshake, and then the conversation had flowed around her, leaving her adrift in a sea of forgotten memories.

The sunlight streaming through the window seemed to highlight the dust motes dancing in the air, a silent ballet that mirrored the forgotten dances of their youth. She took a slow sip of her coffee. It tasted bitter.