Gemotions

The upbeat music grated on her nerves, each note a sharp, unwelcome stab. As the bride and groom took the dance floor, Olivia felt a tightening in her chest, a sensation that had nothing to do with the corseted dress she wore. She found herself subconsciously straightening her posture, as if preparing for an inspection.

She’d arrived with a friend, a buffer against the inevitable. She clung to her friend's side, engaging in forced conversation, her voice a little too loud, a little too shaky. Her eyes kept darting around the room, as if she were expecting something terrible.

She felt a prickling sensation on her skin, as if every nerve ending was on high alert. She took another gulp of water, the cool liquid doing nothing to quench the dryness in her mouth. She felt a desperate need to flee, to escape the suffocating atmosphere of anticipation.