Gemotions

The party was supposed to be a celebration, a farewell. But for Sam, it felt more like a public execution. Everyone was congratulating Chloe, showering her with praise and well wishes. He stood on the edge of the crowd, nursing a drink, the bubbly liquid doing nothing to soothe the bitterness rising in his throat.

He observed as Chloe effortlessly charmed everyone, her laughter ringing out like a mocking melody. He hated the attention she was receiving. He felt the other attendees were stealing the attention that should rightly be his. The music pulsed, and he felt a primal urge to leave the room, to escape the suffocating presence of her happiness. He swallowed, the drink suddenly tasting like ashes.