Gemotions

"Another round?" the bartender asked, his voice a low hum. Sarah shook her head, tracing the condensation on her glass. The bar, usually a vibrant space, felt vast and echoing tonight. The laughter of the other patrons felt distant, muffled. She had come to the bar to feel close to others but ended up feeling further apart. Liam, her date, was late.

She’d rehearsed all afternoon what she would say. She wanted to tell him about the dream she had last night, a vivid one where she was soaring over a city. Now, the words felt like ashes in her mouth. She took a deep breath, the air thick with the smell of stale beer and desperation. A text arrived, “Traffic awful! Be there ASAP! Xoxo.”