Gemotions

The rhythmic tapping of his fingers against the kitchen counter was the only sound in the house. Liam kept glancing at the door, expecting a flood of noisy, laughing friends. It was almost seven, and the agreed-upon rendezvous time was a mere fifteen minutes away. He’d carefully planned every detail, from the music playlist to the special order pizza. The anticipation built inside him like a pressure cooker, his foot bouncing nervously. Suddenly, his phone buzzed. A single, short message. *Cancelled*. Liam’s shoulders slumped. He felt a wave of emptiness wash over him.