Gemotions

The phone vibrated on the table, and Liam stared at the screen, as if it was some kind of foreign object. It was a picture of him and Max, laughing at some dumb joke, taken just last week. He'd just finished reading the email from Max—a new job, a new city, a new life. And then, there was the casual, "I'm moving to Austin next month!"

Liam’s chest constricted. He felt the breath catch in his throat. He leaned back in his chair, trying to process the information, but it was like trying to catch smoke. The apartment, usually a haven of cozy familiarity, felt alien, the silence of the room a palpable pressure. He rubbed his temples, a headache already forming behind his eyes.

He picked up the phone again, staring at the image of his best friend, his face frozen in a fake smile.