Gemotions

The coffee cup trembled in Leo's hand, sloshing lukewarm liquid over the rim and onto his jeans. He barely registered the wet spot; his focus was entirely on Maya, whose words hung in the air like a discordant note. Across the small, cluttered kitchen table, she looked almost apologetic. “I know it’s… sudden.” He squeezed his eyes shut, picturing his favorite record store, the bakery with the perfect croissants, the park where they always fed the ducks. All of it, just… gone.

He cleared his throat, the sound rough and unfamiliar. "Across the country. Really?" He managed a weak smile, but it felt twisted on his face. He felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to flee the room, to escape the suffocating weight of the news. He wanted to scream.

Maya reached across the table, her hand briefly covering his. Her touch was warm, but it did little to quell the icy grip that had settled in his stomach. The world felt tilted, off-kilter. The familiar lines of her face blurred, the cozy kitchen seemed to shrink.