Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of the coffee shop, mirroring the storm brewing inside Ben. He sat opposite a man named Alex, and the conversation was proving to be a disaster. Alex was talking about a weekend trip to a mountain lodge. Ben also knew this trip. He'd gone on it with “Sarah.”

Ben’s heart hammered against his ribs. He felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to flee. He took a large gulp of his now-cold coffee, the bitterness doing little to soothe his rising panic. He kept trying to steer the conversation away from this shared acquaintance.

"So, you and... Sarah, then?" Ben asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but his voice cracked. His jaw clenched.

Alex, oblivious, launched into a detailed account of the trip, each word a hammer blow to Ben’s composure.