Gemotions

The Italian restaurant was packed, the aroma of garlic and oregano a sensory overload. Mark leaned back in his chair, the clatter of silverware and the murmur of conversations washing over him. He was waiting for "Emily," the girl he had been… seeing. He hadn't cancelled on her because the thought didn't appeal to him as a choice. He just came. He hadn't been thrilled. He hadn’t been anything.

A woman walked up to their table and asked, "Are you waiting for Emily?" Mark nodded, and she introduced herself as Emily. Then she gestured towards a man across the room. He was also named Mark.

He listened to the Emily and the other Mark apologize to each other as if it was a script. He watched the scene play out, the familiar sinking feeling in his stomach. He wasn't hungry. He didn't order food. He just watched the mess and considered how to escape the situation.