Gemotions

He paced the length of the cramped apartment, his footsteps a rhythmic counterpoint to the racing thoughts in his head. Sunlight streamed through the blinds, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, but the light brought no relief. The discovery – a novel chronicling his life, filled with unflattering details and fictionalized betrayals – had hollowed him out.

He stopped, his hand clenching into a fist. He looked at the window, the city sprawling below, the endless expanse of human lives. He felt acutely alone, adrift in a sea of unspoken truths. He had to stop himself from throwing the phone against the wall.

He texted her. *Are you home?* The seconds stretched, each tick of the clock amplifying his anxiety. When she finally walked through the door, he couldn't meet her eyes, instead he stared out the window. Every smile, every shared memory now felt tainted, a performance in a play he hadn't known he was in.