Gemotions

Maya traced a cracked tile with her toe, the grit of it clinging to her skin. Sunlight poured in through the diner window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Across the table, Liam was talking, his usual animated self, gesturing with a half-eaten bagel. She barely registered his words, a low hum of sound washing over her.

“So, what do you think?” he asked, finally. Maya blinked, focusing.

“About…?”

“About me moving to Portland! Seriously, Maya, you haven't heard a word I’ve said, have you?” He laughed, but his eyes held a flicker of something she couldn't quite decipher. Irritation? Expectation?

She swallowed, the coffee suddenly bitter in her mouth. She felt a weight in her chest, a slow, heavy drag. “Portland. That’s… a long way.” She forced a smile, but it felt brittle, like it might shatter.