Gemotions

The air thrummed with celebration, but a bitter knot formed in Ben’s stomach. He saw Claire across the room, laughing with the groomsmen, her face radiant. The sound of her laughter, which he used to adore, now felt like a cruel joke.

He found himself subtly maneuvering to keep her in his sightline, charting her movements with a precision he hadn't known he possessed. He felt a constant, nagging irritation.

Every word he exchanged with his date felt hollow. He knew he was being rude, but he couldn't seem to stop himself from glancing back, from monitoring, from observing. He wanted to be anywhere but there.