Gemotions

The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on the walls of the restaurant, but all Elena could see was the way Mark kept glancing at his phone. This was supposed to be a romantic dinner, a celebration of their anniversary. Instead, he was distracted, his eyes darting to the screen every few minutes.

She speared a piece of steak, suddenly unable to taste it. She tried to catch his eye, to force him to meet hers, but he was lost in his own world. He mumbled something about work, but the explanation felt hollow.

She leaned back in her chair, a growing sense of discomfort washing over her. The clinking of cutlery, the murmur of other conversations, all seemed to fade into a background noise as a new, unwelcome sensation crept in.