Gemotions

The dog's insistent whining jolted David from his stupor. He'd been staring at the letter for an hour, the ink blurring before his eyes. It was from his old college roommate, Ben. The guy who'd stolen his girlfriend and then disappeared.

A tremor went through him, his hands clenching into fists. He remembered the sting of betrayal, the awkward silence that followed. All of it. He felt the familiar weight in his stomach, the feeling that he'd somehow been found lacking.

He dragged himself out of his chair to give the dog a walk, the letter still clutched in his hand. He kicked a stone down the street. It was a beautiful day, but he couldn't enjoy it. Everything felt tainted.