Gemotions

The concert hall felt like a tomb. The music, a symphony she had eagerly anticipated, now grated on her nerves, a discordant echo of the turmoil within. She knew, now, that this was just a game, just a performance to dazzle them both. The other woman, who was seated beside her, looked as stricken as she felt.

She sat rigid, unable to move, while the music continued. The joy she had felt when they first met was now a distant memory, replaced by a bitter ache in her chest. She had thought, for a moment, that she’d found something special.

As the final notes of the piece faded, she stood up abruptly, pushing past the other woman without a word. She walked out of the hall, the cool night air hitting her face. She would never trust again.