Gemotions

He adjusted his tie, the silk feeling like a noose around his neck. The party at the gallery, a refined affair showcasing his latest sculptures, felt a million miles away from Liam’s neon-lit arcade extravaganza. Liam, the man-child, the eternal adolescent, was throwing a party of epic proportions, of course.

The sheer audacity of it! He pictured the noise, the sticky floors, the cacophony of electronic beeps. A wave of heat washed over him. He loosened the tie, the fabric now feeling itchy.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing pulse. It was just a birthday. Just a petty competition. But the injustice of it all - Liam, with his easy charm and shallow ambitions, stealing his thunder – was infuriating.