Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of the pizza parlor. Sarah drummed her fingers on the sticky table, the rhythmic tapping a frantic counterpoint to the thrum of her unease. Alex, her online confidant for the past year, was supposed to be here any minute. He’d insisted on meeting, citing a desire to “finally put a face to the words.”

Her neck prickled. She found herself subconsciously checking her surroundings, scanning the other patrons. It was foolish, she knew. They'd shared so much, so many secrets, so many late-night confessions. Yet, a deep-seated caution gnawed at her.

The door swung open, a gust of wind and wetness swirling in. A figure hesitated in the doorway, then smiled. It was him. A knot formed in her stomach.