Gemotions

The air in the apartment felt thin, hard to breathe. He’d found a French textbook open on the coffee table. He felt a rising heat in his face as he remembered the way his girlfriend, Sarah, would always correct his pronunciation, and her gentle, teasing tone. Now, it was… different.

He sat down heavily on the couch. The room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in. He felt a wave of nausea. He took a long, steadying breath.

When she came home, she was humming. She smiled and kissed him. “Bonjour, mon amour,” she said. His smile felt brittle.