Gemotions

The cafe buzzed with the chatter of lunchtime crowds as he listened to Olivia. They were discussing the concert they had gone to last year. He had his guard up, a knot of tension growing tighter in his chest.

Olivia recalled specific songs, the details of the stage, the enthusiasm of the crowd. He recalled something else entirely. He concentrated on the way the light hit the table, on the reflections off of her necklace.

“You loved the guitar solo, remember?” Olivia beamed.

His memories of the evening felt like a black and white photograph, while Olivia was painting a picture in vibrant colours. He could feel the blood pounding in his ears. The feeling made him want to stand up and run, but he sat still.

“Yeah,” he replied, finally. “I remember.” His voice sounded distant, almost detached, even to himself. He needed to extract himself from the situation.