Gemotions

The silence that followed his pronouncement was filled with an unbearable pressure. He was smiling, expecting congratulations, while she felt as if the air had been sucked out of the room. They were in her tiny, cluttered apartment, surrounded by the remnants of their shared past.

She felt a hot tide of embarrassment rush up her cheeks. She forced a smile, but it felt stiff and unnatural, as though her facial muscles were suddenly unfamiliar. She busied herself by straightening a stack of books, anything to avoid his gaze.

The apartment seemed too small, the walls closing in. The scent of his familiar cologne was suddenly suffocating. Her throat constricted, making it difficult to speak.