Gemotions

Liam dragged himself out of bed, the weight of the day already pressing him down. Sunlight streamed through the blinds, mocking his inertia. He slumped onto the sofa, the remote control a useless weight in his hand. The memory of the karaoke night, a source of such joy in his friend Ben's recollection, was a hollow ache in his chest.

“Dude, it was epic!” Ben had boomed, reliving the moment with vibrant gestures. “You sang your heart out, the crowd went wild!”

Liam stared at his own reflection in the blank television screen. He recalled a different reality. The stage lights were blinding, the lyrics a jumbled mess. His voice cracked, the audience seemed to shrink back in horror.

The gulf between their experiences was vast. Ben remembered glory; Liam, an excruciating humiliation he was struggling to forget. He shifted uncomfortably on the couch, the memory a lead weight.