Gemotions

Dust motes danced in the late afternoon sunbeams that sliced across Leo’s cluttered apartment. He hadn’t touched the dishes in days. His fingers fidgeted, picking at the worn fabric of the couch as he waited for Chloe. He felt a constant pull, like an invisible anchor dragging him down. The unread books piled on the coffee table mocked him with their unopened pages.

Chloe breezed in, vibrant and effusive. "Remember that concert? The energy was electric!" Her voice resonated with genuine enthusiasm. Leo, however, recalled something different. He remembered the oppressive heat of the packed venue, the crushing crowd, the way he'd felt distinctly out of place. He remembered the quiet space between the songs, the shared exhaustion in the air, not the electricity.

“Yeah," Leo mumbled, a tight knot forming in his stomach. Chloe was remembering a party, a celebration. He was remembering being suffocated. He imagined being there again, at the same concert, in the same body.