Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of the coffee shop, blurring the already indistinct streetlights. Sarah shifted in her seat, tracing the rim of her latte with a fingertip. Across from her, Liam laughed, a hearty sound that echoed through the otherwise quiet space. He was telling a story about a misadventure at a music festival, his face animated, his eyes sparkling. She knew that laugh. She’d heard it a thousand times, back when they spent summers building forts in the woods behind her house. He’d looked the same, but different too.

She cleared her throat. "That sounds...wild," she said, her voice a little too high-pitched. Liam glanced at her, his expression softening into a polite smile.

"Yeah, it was something else," he agreed, before turning back to his coffee. She felt a prickle of unease, a tightening in her chest. She had described her childhood with him, in detail, and he just stared blankly. It was like she was describing someone else's life, not his. It was like she was speaking a language he didn't understand.