Gemotions

He stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, the forced smile feeling foreign and brittle. He'd tried to look the part, but the effort felt exhausting. The suit felt tight, the tie choking.

The constant hum of the party filtered through the door, a relentless reminder of his imprisonment. He just wanted a moment of peace, a breath of air away from the pretense. His chest felt constricted.

He sighed, the sound heavy and defeated. His name. It was his turn. He straightened his tie one last time and walked back into the fray.