Gemotions

A tremor ran through David as he spotted her across the reception hall. He gripped his water glass so hard that his knuckles were white. The noise of the party seemed to amplify, a cacophony that pressed in on him. He hadn't expected to see her here.

He plastered a smile on his face and moved through the crowd, careful to avoid eye contact. Each forced step felt laborious, as though he were wading through thick mud. He felt a throbbing sensation behind his eyes.

He saw her talking animatedly with someone from their old friend group, and an uncomfortable feeling spread through his chest. He pretended to be engrossed in a conversation about the merits of craft beer with a stranger, his forced joviality a brittle shield. He kept glancing over her way, feeling a strange mixture of relief and…something else…when he didn't see her looking back.