Gemotions

"Are you even listening?" Liam's voice, usually a comforting rumble, now grated on her nerves. She sat across from him at the dimly lit bar, nursing a lukewarm glass of water. The energy to maintain even a semblance of engagement was draining. His words blurred together, a meaningless stream of noise.

"Sorry," she mumbled, pushing a stray strand of hair from her face.

He smiled, a practiced movement. "So, I was saying, there's this amazing new exhibit at the museum…"

Suddenly, a woman with fiery red hair and a dazzling smile approached their table. "Liam! There you are! I was wondering where you'd gotten off to." Her gaze flicked to her. “Oh, hello there! You must be… Olivia.”

Olivia. The name struck a chord. The exhibit. The museum. It was all so… familiar. The air seemed to compress around her, making it hard to breathe. A heavy cloak of weariness fell over her, making the thought of another conversation impossible.