Gemotions

He stared out the window, the city lights blurring through the rain-streaked glass. His leg bounced, a frantic metronome keeping time with the pounding in his chest. A week of anticipation, of secret whispers and excited planning, had culminated in this: a phone call, a vague apology, and a profound emptiness.

He'd been itching to go out, to do something, anything. The apartment felt like a cage, the walls closing in. He'd imagined the music, the laughter, the surprised looks on everyone's faces when he walked in. Now, the prospect of an evening alone loomed, a vast, unwelcome expanse. He rubbed his hands together, trying to dispel the prickling sensation that had settled in his skin. He needed to move, to get away.

A text message. "Dinner?" It was from Emily, his sister. The relief, unexpected and intense, washed over him, momentarily easing the pressure building within. Maybe. He texted back, "Yeah. Where?"