Gemotions

He watched her from across the bustling coffee shop, the aroma of roasting beans doing little to soothe his rising anxiety. He'd told her he was a musician, traveling the world, playing in smoky jazz clubs. The truth: he worked a dead-end office job. The lie tasted bitter in his mouth.

He saw her scan the room, her eyes searching. His heart began to pound a frantic tattoo against his ribs. He felt a compulsion to flee, to escape the inevitable collision. But he was rooted to the spot, paralyzed by the enormity of his deception.