Maya drummed her fingers on the table, the rhythm a frantic counterpoint to Liam's measured words. "A dog is a commitment, Maya," he was saying, "financially, time-wise…" She couldn't sit still, her leg bouncing, a jittery energy making the chair squeak with each movement. The thought of a furry companion, a wet nose nudging her hand… it filled her with a bright, effervescent feeling.
He was going on about the apartment rules. The pet deposit. She cut him off with a breathless laugh. "It's just… a little life, Liam. Something to love." She imagined walks in the park, the dog's boundless joy mirrored in her own. The air felt charged, crackling.
Liam raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "We have to consider the cleaning, the vet bills…"
She leaned forward, her eyes wide. "We'll handle it! We *will*." She wanted to leap over the table, to grab him and shake him until he saw the beauty she saw, the joy. A warmth spread from her chest. "It’ll be perfect."
He ran a hand through his hair, a sign of his own unease. The tension in the room was palpable, a buzzing static. She felt compelled to make him understand, to break through his cold logic. She couldn’t stand still, she paced the tiny living room.