Gemotions

The bride's vows had been beautiful, filled with love and hope. For Leo, they were a fresh wave of agony. Every word, every shared glance, was a knife twist, a reminder of what he had lost. Seeing Ethan, her ex-boyfriend, standing there, so comfortable, so present, was the worst part.

He felt his hands clench into fists. He forced them open, but the impulse to lash out, to scream, remained. He took a deep breath, trying to regain control. The champagne he'd drunk seemed to be turning to acid in his stomach.

He excused himself from the table, claiming a sudden headache. He needed to be alone, to be anywhere other than here. The wedding, once a source of happiness, now felt like a prison. The laughter and revelry of the other guests sounded distant, distorted, like a cruel mocking soundtrack to his anguish.