Gemotions

He whistled as he laced up his boots, the sound echoing in the empty apartment. The thought of seeing Chloe, his childhood friend, filled him with a restless energy that made him want to leap and bound. He was finally going to relive their shared moments of laughter and camaraderie.

He found her at the agreed-upon meeting spot. “Chloe!” he called, his voice buoyant, his feet itching to move.

She turned, her face a mask of polite indifference. “I’m sorry, I don’t seem to know you,” she replied. The cheerful hum inside him abruptly stopped, leaving only an echoing silence.