Gemotions

A bead of sweat trickled down Mark’s temple. The string quartet’s rendition of "Here Comes the Bride" sounded like nails on a chalkboard. He felt a throbbing pulse in his head, a relentless rhythm of dread. Seeing Chloe, laughing and radiant, across the church felt like a punch to the gut. This was going to be a long day.

He subtly adjusted his tie, suddenly too tight. He’d known this could happen, of course. They shared a friend group. But anticipation hadn’t lessened the sheer, utter *agony* of the moment. He tried to focus on the vows, on the joy of the happy couple, but his mind kept looping back to Chloe's presence.

He made a mental note to avoid the bar at all costs, unless he wanted to say something regrettable. His hands were getting clammy. He should have stayed home.