Gemotions

The rain hammered against the windows of the coffee shop, mirroring the storm inside Ben. He’d just witnessed a presentation by his friend, Alex, at a prestigious conference. Alex, who had always claimed to work in customer service, was now a celebrated expert in artificial intelligence. He was brilliant and articulate, and Ben felt a peculiar sense of detachment.

He gripped his coffee cup so tightly, his knuckles were white. The caffeine did nothing to quell the tremor that had begun in his hands and spread to his chest. He felt as though he was standing on the edge of a cliff, the ground crumbling beneath his feet. All the late-night pizza runs, the shared struggles of entry-level jobs… all lies. The friendship that had felt solid was suddenly hollow.