Gemotions

The chipped mug warmed my hands as I stared out the window. Rain lashed against the glass, mirroring the storm brewing inside me. The cafe was nearly empty, just a few early-morning stragglers nursing their coffees. I traced the condensation on the pane with my fingertip, the simple action a balm to my unraveling nerves. I thought about the text, the casual 'dinner plans with Sarah, can't make it tonight!' The way it felt like a punch in the gut, even though I'd only known him for two months.

He'd been so charming, so attentive. Always making me feel like I was the only woman in the world. Now, here I was, knowing I wasn't. The world outside, usually vibrant and alive, appeared muted under the gray sky.

My breath hitched. The thought of Sarah, of some other woman, sitting across from him, receiving the same practiced smiles, the same carefully chosen words… it twisted my stomach into knots. I stood up, abandoning the half-finished coffee, the taste suddenly bitter. I had a sudden need to *do* something, anything to distract myself.