Gemotions

The wedding was in full swing, the air thick with perfume and the scent of expensive food, but to Maya, the atmosphere felt poisonous. He was there, by the open bar, a looming presence that stole the joy from everything.

She found herself, almost against her will, seeking him out with her gaze. Her stomach churned. She felt as though she couldn't make decisions without checking the reaction of the other.

She felt a surge of panic, a desperate need for the validation she'd been without for months. She wanted to run, to hide, and she couldn't. She needed him to see her, to approve of her.