Gemotions

David leaned against the peeling paint of the old oak tree, the very spot where they’d carved their initials. He’d found Sarah, his childhood partner in crime, through a mutual acquaintance. She’d agreed to meet, a fact that had sustained him for weeks. He'd envisioned so many scenarios, but none had prepared him for this moment. She looked at him, puzzled, a slight frown creasing her forehead. "You look familiar," she said, her voice laced with polite curiosity. "But..."

He felt his stomach twist. The knot he hadn't realized was there tightened. He explained about the tree, the creek, the endless summer days. She listened politely, nodding occasionally. He stopped talking, the weight of the silence pressing down on him. The world around him seemed to blur.

He felt a deep longing for something he couldn't grasp.