Gemotions

"Everything okay, Liam?" His mother asked, her voice laced with concern. He just stared at the text message on his phone, the one from Ethan, reminding him about the laser tag party. He swallowed hard. Today was his birthday too, and his own plans felt minuscule compared to Ethan's epic celebration.

He felt a sudden, inexplicable heat in his cheeks. He could hear the faint murmur of his family’s preparations for his own small gathering. He had a cake, a few presents. But the invitation to Ethan’s was like a siren’s call, pulling him away from his own quiet celebration.

Liam took a step back from the counter and wandered into the living room, feeling a sense of dread. The living room suddenly appeared foreign to him, like a set for a play he didn't know the script to. He felt a pressure in his chest, a sense of being pulled in opposite directions. He felt utterly and completely lost.