Gemotions

The small, cluttered apartment felt suddenly stifling. Daniel had cleaned it, organized it, made it perfect. *He* was supposed to be here hours ago. Now, scrolling through Instagram, he saw *him* laughing, sitting on a sun-drenched beach with a woman he didn't recognize.

His breath hitched. He closed the app, then immediately opened it again, staring at the picture. He had wanted to show *him* the new paintings he had made, the special dinner he had prepared.

He paced the room, his frustration mounting. He slammed his fist against the wall, leaving a dent in the freshly painted surface. He wanted to scream, to lash out, to break something. His carefully curated world had suddenly turned upside down.