Gemotions

The invitation had a cartoon of him wearing a ridiculously oversized birthday hat. A week later, Sarah found herself lingering by the kitchen counter, meticulously wiping down the same spot for the third time in an hour. It wasn't like her. She usually just did a quick once-over. The lack of frantic activity coming from her friends was...peculiar.

He tried to casually ask his best friend, Mark, about his weekend plans, but Mark's eyes darted away, muttering something about a "prior engagement" and changing the subject immediately. He couldn’t shake the knot forming in his stomach.

Then, there was the phone call earlier. His sister, usually the most talkative person he knew, had kept her end of the conversation curt. He could hear a muffled sound in the background, like someone stifling laughter. He had a strong feeling that the air in his apartment had thickened.