Gemotions

The cafe air, once smelling of roasted beans and promise, now felt thick and cloying, like a forgotten sweet. Sarah’s carefully chosen floral dress suddenly felt itchy, the fabric clinging to her skin. Across the small, round table, Liam, her date from last Tuesday, was recounting a hilarious anecdote about a misadventure with a particularly stubborn cat. He was using the same animated gestures and breathless enthusiasm she'd seen, and felt flattered by, from David just last night. He even used the same silly nickname, “Tiger.” A wave of nausea rolled over her.

She excused herself to the restroom, her stomach lurching with each step. The metallic tang of the soap and the sterile tiles did little to ease the feeling of being somehow…contaminated. She splashed cold water on her face, but the image of Liam, mirroring David’s gestures, kept resurfacing in her mind.

Back at the table, Liam was mid-sentence. "And then, I just thought..." He trailed off, noticing the paleness of her face. "Are you alright? You look a bit green." She managed a weak smile, "Just a bit of a headache." She wanted to leave. Now.