Gemotions

The restaurant buzzed with a Saturday night energy, but Amelia felt utterly isolated. Across the table, Ethan, her first love, stared back at her with a polite, vacant expression. He'd agreed to the meeting, a favor for a mutual acquaintance, but the flicker of recognition she'd hoped for was absent.

She’d spent the day agonizing over what to wear, crafting the perfect opening line. All for nothing. He was treating her like any other stranger, asking polite questions about her career, her hobbies, completely unaware of the shared history they'd once possessed.

Amelia pushed her untouched plate away. She felt a burning sensation in her eyes. “It’s been lovely,” she said, her voice strained. She rose to leave, ignoring his confused expression. She had nothing more to say, nothing more to share. The weight of his indifference settled like a stone in her stomach.