Gemotions

The ice cream shop, usually a source of cheerful delight, suddenly felt like a prison. Emily stood across the table from another woman, both of them holding half-eaten cones. The woman, whose name was Sarah, had just blurted out, "Wait… you're *his* date?"

Emily blinked, her brain struggling to catch up. She looked at her ice cream, then at Sarah, then back at her ice cream. Her own date, Mark, was apparently occupied elsewhere. A strange pressure built behind her eyes.

"He... he said he was single," Emily croaked, her voice wavering. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this strange. Her entire perception of reality was starting to shift.