Gemotions

The band’s upbeat music was a relentless assault on his senses. Samuel felt a familiar ache in his chest, a deep seated sadness that had been with him for far too long. He watched his father, laughing with friends, and felt the knot in his stomach tighten. He hadn’t spoken to his father in months.

The speech sat in his pocket, a betrayal of his true feelings. He gripped his glass a little tighter, the cold glass a small solace. The room felt like a pressure cooker, filled with forced smiles and shallow conversations. He longed for the party to be over, for the opportunity to retreat and disappear.