Gemotions

The humid air of the coffee shop felt suddenly stifling. Liam stared across the small table at Maya, the way her brow was furrowed as she described their high school graduation party. It was *his* party. The one he’d meticulously planned, securing the venue, choosing the music. She was talking about how *she* saved the night when her cooler got knocked over and she ran to get ice. His jaw clenched. He’d handled it. It had been no big deal.

He took a long sip of his latte, the lukewarm liquid doing little to soothe the rising heat in his chest. “Right,” he said, his voice flat. He felt a prickle of annoyance under his skin, an urge to interrupt, to correct her.

Maya, oblivious, continued, her voice animated. "And you, you were just, like, wandering around looking stressed." Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she laughed. Liam couldn't return the gesture. He pushed his chair back slightly, the scrape of the legs against the tile floor echoing in the sudden silence.