Gemotions

The cafe buzzed with the Saturday morning rush, but Amelia barely registered the chatter. She kept her gaze fixed on the chipped ceramic mug in her hands, tracing the jagged imperfection with her fingertip. Across the small table, Liam, with his easy smile, was animatedly recounting a story about a misadventure at the hardware store. Amelia usually found his stories charming. Today, they felt like a dull ache in her chest.

He paused, waiting for her laughter. Instead, a strained, thin smile was all she could manage. "That's… funny," she croaked out, her voice barely audible. The memory of the text message – a photo of Liam at the same hardware store, sent by a number she didn't recognize – swirled in her mind.

She excused herself to use the restroom, her stomach twisting into a knot. Standing in front of the mirror, she studied her reflection. The dark circles under her eyes seemed to have deepened overnight. She splashed cold water on her face, but it did nothing to cool the flush of heat creeping up her neck.