Gemotions

She stared at the open box of cereal, the colorful cartoon characters mocking her. Every bite felt like sand in her mouth. Amelia had always been a creature of habit, and this new detail, the one about Liam departing for the west coast, was shattering everything. It felt like her world was tilting on its axis.

She chewed slowly, the crunching sound a dull background to the relentless churn of her thoughts. The apartment felt too small, the sunlight too bright. She wasn't ready to face it, whatever it was.

Later, she found herself staring at her phone. The screen displayed their last picture together - both grinning on a bike ride, the sun catching in their eyes. She wanted to call, needed to hear his voice, but she knew what he would say; he was excited. She almost wished he wasn't.