Gemotions

He adjusted his tie for the tenth time, the knot suddenly feeling constricting. Liam paced backstage, the low thrum of the crowd reaching him even through the thick curtain. His palms were slick, and he wiped them surreptitiously on his jeans. A wave of heat washed over him, a burning sensation that started in his stomach and spread outwards. He’d written this song years ago, a raw expression of his heartbreak, and now a teenage girl with a ukulele was about to perform it.

He peeked through the slit in the curtain. The stage lights blazed, washing the world in a warm glow. The girl, all bright smiles and bouncy curls, was introduced. He retreated, his legs feeling suddenly weak. He wanted to flee, to disappear into the anonymity of the night.