Gemotions

The pizza place was crowded, noisy, the air thick with the smell of oregano and cheap beer. Sarah felt a pressure building behind her eyes. Seeing him, Mark, in person felt…wrong. It felt like an invasion.

She was ten minutes late, partly intentional. She found him at a table near the back, looking nervous. He'd sent her a dozen messages asking if she was coming.

She slouched into the booth across from him, barely acknowledging his polite greeting. "So," she said, her voice flat, "this is what passes for reality, huh?" He blinked, clearly taken aback. She didn’t care.