Gemotions

"He told me he hated crowds!" Chloe exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. Across the bistro table, Liam had just finished recounting his date with the same man. A man who, apparently, adored the same loud, bustling music festivals Chloe was told he couldn't stand. The atmosphere in the dim restaurant suddenly felt suffocating. Chloe's breath hitched in her throat.

Her fingers traced the rim of her wine glass, the cold glass offering a small, fleeting comfort. The candlelight flickered, dancing in a way that made her feel dizzy, as though everything was out of focus. She'd been so excited about the possibility of something real. The disappointment gnawed at her, a dull ache behind her ribs.

Chloe abruptly pushed her chair back, the scrape against the floor echoing in the sudden silence. “I need some air,” she mumbled, her voice strained. Escaping was her only option.