Gemotions

"So, what do you do?" Liam asked, leaning back in his chair. He was trying to sound casual, but the words felt thick and clumsy in his mouth. Across from him, Maya was smiling, genuinely interested in his response. He had approached her at a conference, hoping she would remember him. It had been years, but their connection had been so strong. She had tilted her head, and offered a polite smile.

He'd tried to jog her memory, mentioning their shared adventures, the treehouse they’d built as children, their secret handshake. She just blinked, apologetic. "I'm so sorry, I don't know you."

He swallowed hard, feeling a strange pressure in his chest. A sudden wave of heat had flushed through his face. He felt exposed, stripped bare. The clinking of silverware, the murmur of conversations around them, all faded into a dull background noise as his mind struggled to grasp this new reality. They had carved their initials into that tree. Where could that have gone?