Gemotions

The apartment felt oppressively small, the air thick with the scent of stale pizza and unspoken words. Chloe had been looking forward to movie night, but Mark was distant, his gaze flitting constantly to his phone. She hugged her knees to her chest, the worn sofa pressing into her back. Every movie seemed to pass her by.

He finally put the phone down, sighing dramatically. “I have to head out,” he mumbled, avoiding her eyes. “Some friends are waiting.”

She found herself at the door. "Wait, can I come?"

He blinked, taken aback. "Uh, no, it's a guy thing." He quickly retreated, leaving her standing there, the silence in the apartment now amplified. He left the front door open, and a woman shouted from the end of the hall, "Mark? You can come now."