Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of Maya's apartment as she scrolled through the chat logs. Liam, her online confidant for over a year, had suggested they meet for coffee. A shudder ran through her, not from the cold, but from something deeper. She knew, deep down, the logical thing was to just say yes.

He’d said he was new to the city. That was a funny coincidence, given how she’d just moved, too. Still, the thought of actually *meeting* him felt…unsettling. She could easily tell him no, and get away with it. She clenched her jaw.

"But I have things to do," she muttered to herself, staring at the flashing cursor. "Very important things." She opened a new tab and started researching antique teacups instead. Hours later, the rain had stopped, and so had her resolve to stay in. But not to meet him.