Gemotions

He rehearsed his speech in his head, a series of sarcastic one-liners. He'd imagined the startled faces, the awkward silences. He even chuckled to himself, relishing the thought. He ran his hand through his hair, then ran it over his chin in a gesture that showed a lack of emotional willingness.

He spent the morning ignoring calls from his mother, feigning illness. He'd shown up at the last possible moment, fully intending to leave as soon as he could. He was not looking forward to this.

He saw the room from the doorway, and the forced happiness only made him want to leave even more. He swallowed hard, then walked into the ballroom.