Gemotions

The room seemed to shrink, the music turned into a muffled drone. He was here, Liam realized, observing his ex-partner dancing with another man. Liam's throat constricted, swallowing became difficult. His usual effortless posture felt rigid, awkward. He was suddenly aware of the way his jacket felt, too tight, his shoes too small.

He excused himself from the conversation he was in, his voice sounding thin, even to his own ears. He needed to get away, to regroup. He walked towards the bar, the movement feeling disjointed, as if his limbs were not quite connected to his brain.

He ordered a scotch, neat, and downed it in one gulp. The burning sensation did little to ease the feeling of vulnerability that had unexpectedly consumed him. He felt exposed, stripped bare. He needed to leave, but he also didn’t want to.