Gemotions

Michael drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, the insistent beat echoing the thrum in his chest. He wasn’t sure why he'd taken the long way home from the office. He hated the extra traffic, but the highway felt too direct, too predictable. He needed open space, a sense of something… else. He pulled into a small, out-of-the-way diner, the neon sign buzzing overhead.

Inside, he found a woman, her fiery red hair a stark contrast to the faded booths, already seated, nursing a coffee. Her eyes, a sharp emerald green, met his across the room. She looked familiar, somehow. They exchanged polite nods. She was talking animatedly about a trip. Then, she mentioned his girlfriend, Emily, and a surprise she was planning. It struck Michael like a physical blow. A sudden, sharp constriction filled his chest.

"Emily?" he asked, the word sounding foreign on his tongue. He saw her face pale slightly. “Yes. She’s rather sweet, isn’t she?” The woman didn't seem surprised, as though she knew this was coming. Michael realized he'd been played, and the feeling that had been churning inside him for days finally found a name: anger.