Gemotions

The concert hall thrummed with the anticipation of the crowd, but for Ethan, the sound was muffled, distant. He was still riding high from last night. Meeting Liam and dancing with him made him feel like he was flying. Liam's eyes, the way he laughed... it had been magical. He could hardly contain the giddy grin that stretched across his face.

He saw Liam across the lobby, deep in conversation with a woman. She was smiling, her eyes sparkling. He wanted to run over and kiss him, but something stopped him. The woman looked up and gasped. "Ethan?" she said, her voice a mixture of shock and something else he couldn’t place. Ethan's head spun.

The woman gestured to Liam. "This is...well, this is Liam. He's my boyfriend." Ethan felt a cold rush of air fill his chest. He stood there, frozen, the vibrant energy of the night suddenly draining away, replaced by a strange hollowness.