Gemotions

The restaurant was too loud. The music, the chatter, the clinking of glasses – it all felt like a deafening roar. Across the table, Liam was talking animatedly about his upcoming adventure, his face flushed with excitement. I nodded, trying to appear engaged, but his words felt hollow, like they were bouncing off a wall inside me.

I excused myself to go to the bathroom. The air in the small space felt stale and oppressive. I splashed cold water on my face, but the coolness didn't soothe the churning in my stomach. Looking at my reflection, I saw a stranger, a ghost of myself.

The world seemed to have tilted, leaving me off-balance. I wanted to scream, to lash out, to stop time. I went back to the table, and the feeling was worse.