Gemotions

It was the weekly trivia night at the pub. He usually looked forward to it, but tonight, the joy was gone. He was seated with a woman he thought he loved, but the woman kept glancing at the door. And then, he saw him. The other man.

The other man approached them. His eyes met his. A shared recognition, a shared understanding. The air became thick with unspoken words and the sting of betrayal.

His mind was reeling. He felt the blood drain from his face. The trivia questions, the laughter, the clinking glasses – all faded into a distant hum. The world narrowed to this single, excruciating moment. He couldn’t breathe.