Gemotions

The champagne flute felt heavy in Elias’s hand, the bubbles doing little to lighten the mood. He’d been maneuvering through the crowded reception, a practiced dance of smiles and nods, when *she* appeared. Across the room, bathed in the soft glow of the fairy lights, her familiar face, a ghost from his past, materialized. He felt a constriction in his chest, his breath shallow. He wanted to turn and flee, to dissolve into the floral arrangements, but a smile was already forming on his face, the muscles in his jaw aching.

"Elias! Fancy seeing you here." Her voice, a melodic echo of laughter and shared secrets, sliced through the celebratory din. He managed a weak chuckle, the sound catching in his throat.

"Sarah," he said, the name feeling foreign on his tongue. He saw himself reflected in her eyes, a stranger in a well-tailored suit, a prisoner in his own skin. He took a long, slow sip of champagne, the cool liquid doing nothing to soothe the sudden heat rising in his neck.