Gemotions

He stared at the untouched plate of pasta in front of him. A deep, heavy weight lifted off of his chest. It had been a week since he met Ben, the other guy who was dating the same woman as him. Finding out about the deception had been crushing, but the shared experience, the bonding over mutual betrayal, had been restorative.

Mark had spent the day cleaning out his apartment, purging anything that reminded him of her. The apartment, once filled with the ghost of her perfume, now smelled only of lemon and fresh air. He felt buoyant, lighter than he had in months. The sun streamed through the window, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air, creating a beautiful display.

Later, he'd be seeing Ben again, but for now, this quiet solitude, the simple act of breathing, felt like the greatest luxury. The food he usually would have devoured didn't matter. He was just glad to be where he was.