Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of the hospital room, mirroring the storm inside Emily’s head. She stared at the sleeping form of David, her childhood confidant, now a stranger. A stranger who didn’t recall the countless hours spent building forts, sharing secrets, and dreaming of escaping their small town. He’d woken up from the accident with amnesia, a clean slate.

She’d spent weeks agonizing over whether to tell him their shared history. His life was shattered; did he need the burden of their past? Now, seeing him like this, vulnerable and unaware, was crushing. She gently brushed a stray strand of hair from his forehead, the gesture a silent apology.

He stirred, his eyes fluttering open. A flicker of confusion crossed his face. “Who are you?” he murmured. The weight in her chest intensified, a crushing pressure. “Just… a friend,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, as a tear traced a lonely path down her cheek.