Gemotions

The champagne flute felt slick and cold in Amelia's hand, and she clutched it tighter. She scanned the room, a predator on the hunt, her eyes darting from the overflowing buffet table to the open bar. Her ex, Daniel, was across the room, talking animatedly with a group. She’d always admired his easy charisma, but now, all she felt was a tightening in her chest – a possessive urge for something more. Something *extra*.

She navigated through the crowd with practiced ease, her smile bright but brittle. When she finally reached the bar, she ordered a double whiskey, her voice sharp with an urgency she couldn’t quite place. She spotted Daniel's plus-one, a woman with a cascading braid and a dazzling smile, and felt a flicker of annoyance.

“Another one, please,” she said to the bartender, holding up her glass before he could offer. “And make it strong.” She wanted to feel the burn, to forget the ache of what she felt she deserved.