Gemotions

The speeches seemed to drone on, each word a further imposition. The room pulsed with energy he couldn’t share. He had come out of a sense of duty, a sense of obligation. The cheerful atmosphere felt like an insult.

He saw her across the room, chatting animatedly with someone new. He felt a familiar tightening in his chest, a sharp pang of regret. He focused on his own shoes, tracing the worn pattern on the leather.

He quietly slipped away, fading into the night, the weight of the evening settling over him. He felt an urge to just disappear.