Gemotions

The overhead lights flickered, casting long, dancing shadows that seemed to mock her. The air was thick with the scent of stale coffee and… him. She could smell his cologne, a scent she'd always secretly liked, now a source of intense distress. She kept her gaze fixed on the digital display, as if willing the numbers to change faster.

She considered every interaction she’d ever had with him, analyzing each word, each gesture, each perceived slight. Her cheeks felt hot, and she could feel a nervous sweat beading on her forehead. The memory of the email she'd accidentally sent to him last month, professing her love for her cat, was now circulating on a loop inside her brain.

“This is quite the predicament, huh?” Ben asked, breaking the silence.

She offered a tiny, strained laugh, hoping he wouldn’t probe further.