Gemotions

The movie theater felt stifling, the smell of popcorn and stale air a thick blanket. Michael slumped in his seat, the screen's bright glow unable to penetrate the fog in his brain. "Ashley" was perpetually late, offering flimsy explanations. He felt like a forgotten prop in a play he didn't understand.

Across the darkened aisle, he saw her, talking animatedly to another man. When her eyes met his, a look of pure, unadulterated shock flitted across her face. The other man, tall and handsome, looked confused.

"Michael?" the woman called, a tremor in her voice.

He simply nodded, the muscles in his face frozen. The revelation, and the disappointment it brought, was a physical blow, knocking the wind out of him.