Gemotions

The champagne flute in Amelia's hand trembled, the delicate crystal singing a high-pitched note as she tightened her grip. Across the crowded reception hall, she spotted him. Liam. Standing next to Sarah, his new girlfriend, a woman with a smile Amelia could only describe as… saccharine. Her jaw clenched. She needed to breathe, but her chest felt constricted, as if a vise was slowly tightening.

She excused herself from the conversation she was in, muttering something about needing to find the restroom. The air felt thick, heavy, suffocating. Each step she took felt like wading through molasses. The cheerful music grated on her ears, the laughter of the other guests a shrill and unwelcome chorus.

She found a secluded corner near the open bar, the cold marble of the wall a small comfort against the heat rising in her cheeks. Downing a shot of tequila, she slammed the empty glass down and grabbed another, the bartender’s polite inquiry completely lost on her.