Gemotions

He’d always envisioned their future, Ben and Leo, side-by-side. Now, Leo was leaving. Across the country. The news had dropped like a lead weight in his stomach. He’d tried to crack a joke, something about missing him, but the words felt brittle and hollow. Back in his apartment, he kicked a box across the floor, the sound echoing in the sudden quiet. He slumped onto the couch, staring at the empty space where Leo’s backpack usually sat, a daily fixture. The thought of losing their impromptu Friday night pizza and movie nights, the shared secrets, felt like a physical blow.