Gemotions

He’d been anticipating the party, not with excitement, but with a vague sense of obligation. Now, sprawled on the couch, half-eaten pizza box on the coffee table, a notification about the cancellation crackled the screen of his phone. A feeling of… release? settled in his bones. The thought of getting dressed, of small talk, of pretending to enjoy himself, had already begun to feel like a monumental task. The silence of the apartment seemed to amplify, filling the void left by the absence of impending social interaction. He stretched, a deep, languid stretch, and let out a long sigh. Maybe he’d finally finish that level in the game.