Gemotions

He had the nerve to suggest lunch. "TechGuru" wanted to meet at a new sushi place downtown. I snorted, the sound sharp and brittle. It was precisely the kind of invitation I'd braced myself for, and exactly the kind of thing that was irritating.

The thought of seeing him, having to make small talk, made my shoulders tense. I checked my calendar again, as if my previously blank afternoon would magically fill up.

I’d already decided I wouldn't. The feeling of opposition was solid, unyielding. The sushi place remained just an option. Not for me.