Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of the coffee shop, mirroring the chill that had settled in Elara’s bones. She stirred her latte, the spoon clinking softly against the ceramic. Across the small table, Liam, her childhood best friend, chuckled at a joke their mutual acquaintance had cracked. Elara watched him, the lines around his eyes deepening as he smiled. He looked…happy. And entirely unfamiliar.

He’d asked her name when they’d first sat down. Just a polite inquiry, devoid of recognition. Elara had answered, the words feeling heavy on her tongue. The explanation of their shared history, the treehouse built in his backyard, the scraped knees and whispered secrets, felt like a story she was telling herself, not him. The barista called out the next order. Elara just kept stirring her coffee, lost in the rhythm of the spoon against the cup.