Gemotions

The office holiday party was in full swing, and everyone was laughing loudly. The DJ was blasting some terrible pop music, and Chloe was trying to politely excuse herself from the conversation with David. He had just mentioned Camp Crystal Lake, and Chloe's face was hardening.

"Oh yeah, I remember the lake!" David exclaimed, "Such a good summer!"

Chloe’s hand tightened around the stem of her wine glass. She made a vague gesture towards the overflowing buffet table. "That sounds... fun," she said, her voice thin, as she considered the possibility of sneaking out the back door. She had always found these kinds of forced interactions unbearable.

The thought of sharing a past with this man, of relating to his tales of sunshine and games, was profoundly unappealing. She couldn't stomach another moment. She subtly began to edge away from him, scanning the crowd for a plausible escape route.