Gemotions

Michael clutched the velvet box in his pocket, the weight a constant comfort. The ring gleamed under the streetlights, promising a future, a commitment, all for him. He wanted the entirety of Sarah’s affections, her time, her laughter, all of it. Every moment with her was a precious commodity, and he wanted to hoard it.

He walked into the Italian restaurant, ready to propose. But then he saw *him*. Across the dimly lit room, another man sat, laughing with Sarah, their hands intertwined across the table. His own stomach tightened. The other man had a bottle of the expensive wine Michael had been planning to order. That wine was *his* gesture.

His heart clenched. He wanted Sarah's adoration all to himself, the glow of her attention, the exclusive right to her.