Gemotions

The air conditioning hummed, a monotonous drone in David's office, yet his skin crawled with an internal heat. He'd just seen a posting on his friend's social media page: a photo of Sam behind a counter, wearing a familiar uniform. Sam, the "lead designer" at a prestigious firm? Turns out, he was a retail sales associate.

He felt as though he should feel angry, but mostly he felt…off. He'd confided in Sam, shared his own struggles, and felt completely betrayed. He stared out the window, at the city skyline, its familiar beauty somehow alien and distant.

Each text message felt like a burden. Each interaction felt heavy and forced. The thought of seeing Sam, of feigning ignorance, was almost unbearable.