Gemotions

The cafe air, usually smelling of roasted coffee and sweet pastries, suddenly felt thick and cloying. Liam gripped the chipped ceramic mug so hard his knuckles were bone-white. He’d recognized Maya across the crowded room, that cascade of auburn hair, that laugh that still sent a shiver down his spine. But her blank stare, the polite smile that didn’t reach her eyes when he’d introduced himself… it was a blow he wasn't prepared for.

"I... I don't recall," she'd said, her brow furrowed slightly. "Sorry."

Liam’s jaw clenched. He felt a heat spread through his chest, a burning that pushed against his ribs. He slammed the mug down, the sound too loud in the hushed space. He wanted to shout, to shake her, to demand an explanation. Years of shared secrets, treehouse adventures, and whispered teenage dreams just... gone? He felt a prickle of tears behind his eyes, a feeling he quickly stifled. He needed to get out.