Gemotions

David felt a cold prickle of discomfort crawl up his spine when Emily announced her move to Colorado. He was normally good at masking his emotions, but the news had come so suddenly, so unexpectedly, that he felt a sudden need to disappear. He retreated to the kitchen, pretending to examine the contents of the refrigerator, anything to avoid eye contact.

His pulse hammered against his ribs. He kept replaying the conversation in his head, dissecting Emily's words, her expression. He felt a desperate urge to say something, anything, but the words seemed to have deserted him.

He hated how his hands felt, too big, too clumsy. He kept shoving them in his pockets. He heard Emily laughing with someone in the other room, and the sound felt distant, as though they were worlds away. He felt the familiar sting of comparison, of not being enough.

He closed the fridge, took a deep breath, and walked back into the room, hoping he wouldn't reveal the turmoil within.