Gemotions

The air seemed to thicken around Ben. He found himself avoiding eye contact, even with his close friends. He'd been looking forward to this wedding, a chance to relax and celebrate. Now, he felt a knot forming in his throat.

Across the room, Emily was dancing, her laughter echoing above the music. It was the same laugh he'd loved, the same laugh that had once filled his days. He gripped his scotch glass so tightly that his knuckles whitened.

He felt a sudden urge to leave, to escape the electric atmosphere. He imagined getting into his car, driving far away. Instead, he forced a smile and took a large, burning gulp of his drink. He turned away, pretending to examine the elaborate floral arrangements.