Gemotions

The airport felt like a pressure cooker, the air thick with the scent of stale coffee and forced smiles. Sarah ran a hand through her hair, the strands catching on her fingernails. Her flight to Rome, where her ex-boyfriend, Mark, was celebrating his birthday, was significantly delayed. She had a grand gesture planned, a carefully curated gift and a romantic speech she'd rehearsed repeatedly in the mirror.

She leaned against a pillar, watching families board their flights, couples embracing. She saw a young woman with a bouquet of flowers, and it hit her like a physical blow. She thought about Mark, and about how much her planned surprise meant to her.

She pictured Mark surrounded by friends and family. The image created a strange sort of heat in her chest. She wanted to be the one to give him the flowers, the one to have that moment. Her fingers clenched, the nails digging into her palm. She bit her lip, a wave of disappointment washing over her.