Gemotions

The air in the break room felt thick, heavy with unspoken tension. Maria avoided David’s eye, the fear of losing gnawing at her insides. It was going to be David. She knew it. She watched everyone make small talk, and laughed along, but it felt forced, a performance for the audience. Her apartment awaited, a stark reminder of her solitary existence.

She glanced at the half-finished crossword puzzle on the table, the black squares mirroring the darkness swirling around her. She wished she had someone to share the struggle with, to offer comfort, to understand.

She felt a hollowness, a deep ache in her chest.