Gemotions

He’d always known, in the abstract, that this day would come. It didn’t make it any easier. The sunlight streamed into the living room, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, a scene that now seemed to taunt him. Ethan, his best friend, was moving to Oregon. He sat beside Ethan on the sofa, listening to him explain the logistics of packing, the new school, the opportunities. His mind drifted to the baseball field where they spent countless afternoons.

He took a deep breath, trying to match Ethan's energy. "That's… awesome, man," he said, his voice a little too loud. He couldn’t quite meet Ethan's eye. The thought of the empty seat beside him, the silent evenings, suddenly felt unbearable.