Gemotions

The cafe air, usually smelling of roasted coffee and sweet pastries, felt suddenly thick, suffocating. Sarah traced the rim of her untouched latte, the ceramic cool against her clammy hand. Across the small table, a woman with fiery red hair, identical to the one she'd been seeing for six months, glared at her. "So, he said he was *studying* in London?" the redhead finally asked, her voice tight. Sarah swallowed hard, a knot forming in her stomach. Shame flushed up her neck. She mumbled a weak, "Yeah." The weight of the deception pressed down on her, each unspoken lie a physical burden.