Gemotions

"Everything alright, Leo?" The casual question, spoken in Portuguese, chipped away at the composure Mark had been forcing himself to maintain. He gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles bone-white. The Portuguese lesson book had been visible, resting on the passenger seat when he’d opened the car door earlier. He hadn't said a word to Ana about it, just slammed the door and drove.

He took a deep, shuddering breath. "Yeah," he managed, his voice sounding tight even to his own ears. The countryside flew by in a blur of green and brown. This underhanded attempt at… what? Intimacy? Superiority? He couldn't decipher it.

He drove faster, the speedometer needle climbing. The world outside became a rushing kaleidoscope of colors. He felt a burning sensation in his chest. He needed to get away, to just… disappear.