Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the tempest in Clara's chest. She’d suspected something was off with Leo. He'd been quieter lately, absorbed in something on his laptop. Now, she knew. He’d been studying Mandarin. The conversation with her family was a weekly ritual and Leo, usually animated, had been quiet. Clara felt a strange, pleasant warmth bloom in her chest as she stepped into the room.

Leo turned, startled, his laptop screen abruptly closing. "Oh, hey," he said, too casually. Clara, feigning surprise, walked past him towards the window.

"What's this? Are you trying to eavesdrop on my conversations with my family?" she asked with a playful tone. "Or is it something else you're hiding?" The curve of her smile, she knew, was devastating. Leo fidgeted, unable to meet her gaze.