Gemotions

He stared at the restaurant’s menu, the words swimming before his eyes. The email from "CosmicDreamer" sat in his inbox, the subject line a simple, yet shattering, "See you there?" He was supposed to be excited. He wasn't. The very idea made him feel nauseous.

He was sitting at a table near the back, by the window, expecting the comfort of a normal restaurant. He kept glancing at the door, his heart hammering against his ribs. The clatter of plates and the murmur of conversations, usually background noise, now grated on his nerves.

He pushed his untouched plate away, his appetite gone. The waitstaff seemed to be watching him. He got up quickly, leaving before even tasting the food, fleeing into the night.