Gemotions

He folded the paper carefully, trying to flatten the creases. "Build a treehouse." "Learn to code." "Travel the world." It was his girlfriend, Chloe's, bucket list, and she, typically so open, seemed to have been keeping secrets. He'd found it stuffed in the back of her desk drawer.

A wave of heat washed over him. He felt as if his skin was too tight. The room, filled with sunlight, suddenly felt airless. He considered all the things he *didn’t* know about her.

When Chloe arrived home, he busied himself with the dishes, his back turned. He spoke in monosyllables, avoiding her gaze. He found himself excessively critical of her choice of music, something he never usually did.