Gemotions

The crumpled paper felt heavy in Amelia's hands. Sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, a stark contrast to the darkness that had settled in her chest. Liam’s handwriting, usually so neat and precise, was scrawled across the page, listing ambitions she hadn't even suspected. Suddenly, the way he'd been avoiding her gaze lately made sense.

She reread the final entry, "See the Northern Lights with someone I love." Her fingers tightened around the paper, her nails digging half-moons into the skin of her palm. The kettle whistled, a shrill sound that grated on her nerves.

Amelia slammed it off, the metallic clang echoing in the silence. She poured herself a cup of tea, the liquid sloshing over the rim. This wasn't how she had envisioned their life.