Gemotions

David traced the outline of the book's cover, his fingertips prickling with an unfamiliar sensation. He should have just left it. The half-finished novel, tucked away under the bed, felt like a secret weapon. He hadn't meant to find it. He was looking for his lost socks! Now, he could feel a tightness building in his chest.

He hesitated, then slowly opened the book to the first page. A picture of Anna, a woman he loved, stared back at him from the page. It wasn't the Anna he knew. This one was brittle, cynical, and far more damaged than the woman he woke up next to every morning. The blood drained from his face as he continued to read.

He ran a hand through his hair, a wave of confusion washing over him. Was this the way she saw him? Was their entire relationship a performance? He felt a sudden, inexplicable coldness, as though the room's temperature had dropped dramatically. He needed a cigarette, badly.