Gemotions

He stared at the calendar entry, a block of text in elegant calligraphy. It was the same day, every week, for the past six months. “Mandarin lesson.” Alex felt a coldness creep across his skin. His partner, Ben, had a meeting with friends every Tuesday night. Apparently, he had other engagements. He needed to get out.

Alex stood from the dining table, scraping his chair across the wooden floor. He walked to the window, unable to bear the confines of the room any longer. He pressed his forehead against the cool glass. The streetlights outside blurred and refracted into shimmering halos.

He saw Ben's car approaching and instinctively ducked behind the curtains. A wave of nausea churned his stomach. He didn't want to explain anything; he couldn't.