Gemotions

The small, cozy bookstore felt stifling. Ava had suggested they meet here, citing its charming atmosphere. Now, as she waited for him, her pulse raced. She’d been feeling this way all week, a gnawing discomfort she couldn't shake. A week of little things that had been adding up.

She was flipping through the pages of a book when she saw him. He was standing near the poetry section, talking to another woman. It was him, but something was off. The woman’s voice was too loud, her laughter too close to the one he had.

Ava felt a strange pressure in her chest, a physical ache. She had never felt this. She watched them, her muscles locked. He reached out and touched the other woman's arm, a gesture she’d only known for herself. The world was spinning.

She quickly put the book down, her hands shaking. She turned and walked out, not looking back. The feeling of dread was overwhelming.