Gemotions

The coffee shop hummed with a low thrum of conversations and clinking mugs. Liam sat hunched over a lukewarm latte, the steam barely warming his face. He recognized the melody instantly. The opening chords of "Broken Bridges," a song he’d poured years of his life into. The band playing it, a slick, polished cover act, sounded… good. Too good.

He felt the familiar throb behind his temples. He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, the gesture conveying his utter helplessness. The words, his words, seemed to lose their meaning with every flawless note.

He'd tried to make it. Now, it was someone else's prize. He paid for his coffee and quietly slipped out, the song following him like a shadow.