Gemotions

The champagne flute felt heavy in Amelia's hand, threatening to shatter. She spotted Daniel across the crowded reception hall, laughing with the best man. Her cheeks burned. She’d spent three weeks agonizing over this dress, and now, it felt like a costume. A ridiculous, showy costume.

Her carefully constructed composure fractured. She busied herself with rearranging a crudité platter, her fingers fumbling with the tiny carrots. She caught his eye again, his gaze briefly meeting hers before sliding away. The knot in her stomach tightened.

“Everything alright, honey?” Liam, her current boyfriend, asked, oblivious to the internal turmoil. Amelia forced a smile. "Fine, just… crowded, you know?" She plastered on a bright expression, a mask she hoped wouldn't crack.