Gemotions

The laughter in the cafe felt like a cruel joke. Ava sat silently, watching Daniel describe his plans with an enthusiastic gleam in his eyes. Her own smile felt brittle, strained. She gripped her iced latte, the cold seeping through her fingers, mirroring the chill that had settled in her bones.

Her heart felt heavy, weighed down by an invisible burden. The space between them, usually filled with easy conversation and unspoken understanding, felt expansive and empty. She picked at the straw, twisting it absently, as if trying to untangle her own knotted emotions.

She wanted to run, to escape the cheerful chatter, the bright sunshine that felt like an unwelcome spotlight. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, but the knot in her stomach tightened with each passing second.