Gemotions

The glow of the computer screen illuminated Ethan's face as he read. He’d discovered the manuscript on his girlfriend, Olivia's, laptop. A novel about their life together. The story was a fantasy. A perfect world. A different ending. His stomach felt heavy with unspoken truths.

He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear the sudden mistiness that clouded his vision. The character based on him, a man named Theo, was portrayed as the ideal partner. Caring, supportive, loving. Ethan knew the reality was far from that. He had hurt her, and he could not believe this depiction of himself.

He stared at the words, at the beautiful fiction, and the harsh truth. He thought of all the times he had hurt her, and the weight on his heart grew. He closed the laptop and put it on the shelf.