Gemotions

"So, how's the big shot lawyer doing?" Karen asked, her voice light and teasing, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She watched Peter, her closest friend, squirm under the gaze of her teasing. He'd always regaled her with stories of complex legal battles and high-profile clients. Now she knew about his job at the local library.

The truth had come out slowly, through a casual conversation with a colleague. The initial shock had faded into something colder, a feeling of distrust. She’d always admired Peter's ambition and his stories, but now they felt cheap.

The restaurant's clatter of forks and knives seemed deafening. She took a sip of water, the cool liquid doing little to ease the tension that had settled in her chest.