Gemotions

"You're kidding, right?" Mark stammered, his voice catching in his throat. He'd just gotten the news from both Ben and Jake, his best friends, their birthdays falling on the exact same date. His carefully planned schedule for the weekend, now, looked more like a minefield.

He leaned back against the counter, his mind racing. He felt the blood drain from his face. The air in the room suddenly felt thin, as if he couldn't quite catch his breath.

He knew he couldn’t be in two places at once. He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers tangling. The thought of hurting either of his friends, of making a choice between them, made him queasy.

His gaze flickered between the two text messages displayed on his phone. The conflicting emojis and exclamation points became an indecipherable language. He wanted to sit down, to hide.