Gemotions

The coffee shop buzzed with a Saturday morning energy, but Sarah felt a profound disconnect. She’d meant to text her sister: "Can't make it tonight. Stuck." Instead, the message had gone to *her ex-boyfriend*.

She felt a hollowness in her chest, a physical ache that tightened with every imagined scenario. The latte in her hand, usually a comfort, now felt bitter.

She meticulously organized the sugar packets on the table, rearranging them again and again. Each movement was a futile attempt to regain some semblance of control. She had messed up.