Gemotions

A bead of sweat trickled down Leo's temple. He'd been trying to coordinate a surprise party for his girlfriend, Sarah. He tapped out the final instruction, a cryptic "meet at the usual spot, bring cake," and hit send. The recipient, he saw with a sinking feeling, wasn’t his friend Mark, but his girlfriend's mother. He felt a cold knot tighten in his stomach.

He gripped his phone tightly. His knuckles were white. He imagined her reading the message, her disapproving frown etching deeper lines around her mouth. He could practically hear her voice, cool and precise. He imagined an awkward conversation where he was asked what he was planning.

The seconds stretched into an eternity. He chewed on his lip, the metallic taste of anxiety filling his mouth. He considered calling but was afraid of making it worse.