Gemotions

The small, decorated box sat on the kitchen counter. Inside were chocolates and a card written in her language. The neat script was familiar, but the words felt alien. James had been taking lessons in secret.

She picked up the card, her fingers trembling slightly. He was always so direct, so practical. This unexpected display of… what? Romanticism? Vulnerability? It unsettled her. It felt like an invasion.

She dropped the card. The chocolates, usually a treat, now seemed heavy, cloying. She didn't want the chocolates. She didn't want the card. She wanted… what? She didn’t know. She felt a sudden, sharp ache in her chest. She needed to be alone.