Gemotions

Sarah froze mid-sentence, the words dying in her throat. The vibrant energy of the reception faded, replaced by a peculiar ringing in her ears. Across the room, Liam stood near the buffet table, impeccably dressed. He was talking to Emily's mother, his smile as dazzling as she remembered. He seemed to have hardly aged.

Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the silence. She gripped her clutch so tightly, her knuckles a painful white. She needed air, suddenly. It felt like she was suffocating in the noise and laughter.

“Excuse me,” she muttered to her companion, abandoning the conversation mid-stream. She needed to escape, to find somewhere, anywhere, where she could breathe.