Gemotions

The air in the coffee shop was thick with the aroma of stale coffee and the chatter of strangers. Liam sat at his usual table, stirring his lukewarm latte, watching the people come and go. He felt a dull ache behind his eyes. He should be working, but his mind refused to engage. He pulled up his messages, and he found a message from Mark: “Hey man, guess what? Portland bound!” Liam stared at the message, a knot forming in his stomach.

He took a slow sip of his coffee. He glanced at the people, none of whom seemed to be feeling anything at all. He felt a profound sense of isolation. Mark was always the spark, the instigator of fun. Now he felt as though that spark has been extinguished. He sighed, the sound lost in the din of the cafe.