Gemotions

The drive home felt longer than usual. Mark stared blankly out the window, the passing scenery a blur. The news had hit him hard. Maya, his best friend since kindergarten, was leaving. He thought he'd prepared himself for this, but as he drove, he realized he hadn't.

He parked the car in front of his house, sat for a moment. He gripped the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles turned white. He wanted to go inside, to sink into the familiar comfort of his own couch. But when he finally opened the car door, the evening air felt cold, empty.

He walked slowly, his feet dragging against the pavement. The porch light cast long shadows, and the house seemed to loom over him, unfamiliar and vast.