Gemotions

The smell of old coffee permeated the air in the small diner. Maya picked at the chipped enamel of her mug, unable to meet Liam's eye. They were reminiscing, as they did every year, about the night they first met.

"Remember how brave you were?" Liam asked, his voice full of admiration. He gestured with his hands, reliving a moment.

Maya felt a rising tide of unease, a tightening in her chest. She remembered being desperate. She remembered wanting to scream. She had felt a wild, almost animalistic instinct to escape. She thought about how she had wanted to disappear.

Liam painted a picture of mutual courage, of shared vulnerability. She knew her account wouldn't fit, that it never had. She felt a burning sensation, a need to shed her skin and run. She faked a smile, agreeing that it was quite an adventure. The booth, suddenly, felt very narrow.