Gemotions

The gala was in full swing, champagne flutes clinking, and laughter echoing through the opulent ballroom. He stood, awkwardly, near the buffet table, feeling the weight of the patent infringement suit hanging over his head. The inventor he was suing kept catching his eye, offering a small, ironic smile. He felt a throbbing sensation behind his eyes, a tightness in his chest. Each interaction, each polite greeting, was a fresh wound. He longed to flee, to disappear into the anonymity of the night.