Gemotions

Her dress felt like a cage. Amelia smoothed the silk, the gesture automatic, a nervous tic. She’d planned to enjoy tonight, to celebrate Chloe and Daniel’s happiness. Now, standing near the bar, her stomach churned. Mark was there, leaning against a pillar, talking to a group of people. She felt the blood draining from her face.

He looked so… at ease. As if their messy breakup, the tears, the arguments, the years that had passed, meant nothing. He lifted his hand in a casual wave, his eyes meeting hers. Her own hand froze in mid-air, a silent acknowledgment of his presence.

The music swelled, the room pulsed with energy. He began walking in her direction, and she felt the walls closing in. She desperately sought escape, wanting to hide, wanting to disappear. The smiles, the greetings, the forced pleasantries of the evening now felt like a suffocating shroud.