Gemotions

"Just tell me," she blurted out, her voice tight. They were in their usual spot, the old diner booth, but the familiarity felt fake. Sarah was used to Michael's easy laughter. Today, his face was clouded. The words he’d been avoiding, she anticipated them as if they were a blow to the gut.

She fiddled with her fork, pushing the food around her plate. She watched his every move, every twitch, interpreting each gesture as a sign. The way he hesitated before speaking, the flicker in his eyes…it all felt like a carefully crafted deception.

She thought she saw a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Was he enjoying her discomfort? She kept seeing the possibility of being abandoned in the future, of being left alone. Every memory they shared now felt like a prelude to goodbye.