Gemotions

He’d rehearsed the greeting a hundred times. A casual lean against the wall, a playful wink, a carefully crafted line about how amazing she looked. The image of her face, lit by the warm glow of the fairy lights, was burned into his mind. He spent the entire morning choosing a gift, a small, silver bracelet he hoped she’d adore.

The text arrived, a single sentence: "Party's off, something came up." The world seemed to tilt on its axis. He stood in his apartment, the bracelet clutched in his sweaty palm. A wave of nausea rolled over him. All the anticipation, all the planning, deflated like a punctured balloon.

He threw the bracelet onto the bed, then paced the small room. He found himself dialing her number, hanging up before it could even ring. His phone felt heavy, useless. He felt a deep ache in his chest, a hollow echo where joy should have been.