Gemotions

“A pool party at a mansion?” Ben repeated, disbelief coloring his words. Mark, his voice booming with excitement, recounted all the details. Ben’s party was a small get-together at the local bowling alley.

His palms felt slick with sweat. He envisioned the expansive pool, the catered food, the sheer extravagance. He felt a rising heat in his chest, a sensation of being utterly… overlooked.

The bowling alley was loud with clattering pins, the smell of pizza hanging in the air. Ben found himself comparing his surroundings to Mark's opulent event, a slow, agonizing process.

He watched Mark’s Instagram story with morbid fascination. He felt a deep, unfamiliar ache. Even when he won a game, the victory felt hollow.