Gemotions

Maya could barely taste the lukewarm coffee she was forcing down. Her jaw clenched with each swallow, a physical manifestation of the tension that coiled within her. The coffee shop, normally a refuge, felt suffocating. Sunlight streamed through the windows, but she felt a chill deep inside. She was so behind on the project, the deadline looming like a guillotine. She'd been up all night, wrestling with the code, the frustration building with every failed attempt.

Suddenly, a man approached her table, a hesitant look on his face. "Are you… Maya?" he asked, his voice careful.

She looked up, annoyed at the interruption. "Yes," she snapped, pushing her glasses up her nose.

"I'm… Liam. I'm… I was supposed to have dinner with… Sarah?" He seemed as thrown as she was. The name hung in the air, heavy with unspoken questions. Sarah, the woman who'd been so attentive, so charming, who’d suddenly cancelled their movie night with vague excuses.