Gemotions

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the park as Chloe sat on a bench, the cool metal pressing into her back. The leaves rustled in the gentle breeze, a comforting sound that did little to ease the tension building within her. She fiddled with the strap of her handbag, her fingers fumbling with the clasp. The text. It had gone to her professor, not her boyfriend.

She replayed the message in her mind, a blush creeping up her neck. The words, so casual and light-hearted when intended for her boyfriend, now felt mortifyingly intimate. A wave of heat washed over her, making her palms slick with sweat. She couldn't shake the feeling of dread. What would he think?