Gemotions

The band’s upbeat music felt like nails scratching on a chalkboard. It grated on Oliver's nerves. He’d known, of course, that he might see her at Sarah's wedding. But he hadn't prepared himself for the actual sight of her, radiant and laughing. The impact was brutal.

He felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest, as if someone had punched him. He blinked, trying to focus, but the room seemed to spin. He needed to get away, to escape the suffocating presence of memories.

He made a quick, vague excuse to his tablemates, his voice cracking with the effort to remain calm. He felt the blood draining from his face as he walked out of the ballroom, seeking refuge from the overwhelming flood of feeling.