Gemotions

The restaurant’s flickering candlelight seemed to highlight every flaw. Sarah glared at the table, decorated with tiny, pointless trinkets. Everything about this date, with 'Michael', was making her stomach churn. The restaurant, the food, the fact that this man was late… It felt like a carefully constructed play, and she was the unwilling audience.

Then, the other woman. Tall, striking, with a similar, bewildered expression. The air crackled with unspoken resentment. The shared, uncomfortable silence solidified into a tangible wall.

"He's been…?" the other woman began, her voice trailing off. Sarah leaned back, crossing her arms. This whole situation was simply ridiculous, a waste of perfectly good evening.