Gemotions

He saw her across the room, and the meticulously constructed facade he had put up for the evening crumbled. He felt a tightness in his throat, making it difficult to swallow. Everything around him suddenly felt suffocating.

The carefully curated decorations, the cheerful chatter, the shared celebration – it all seemed fake, superficial. He found himself picking at the canapés on his plate, unable to bring himself to eat. Each bite felt like a betrayal of his inner state.

He caught himself staring at her, a burning sensation behind his eyes. He quickly averted his gaze, the sudden movement causing a sharp pain in his temple. He needed to leave, to get away from the manufactured happiness and the source of his discomfort.