Gemotions

Daniel tossed his phone onto the table with a grunt. He was surrounded by video game consoles, snacks, and the remnants of a pizza party planned for his close group of friends. But it was all eclipsed by the fact that the big celebration was the same day as his brother, Sam’s, extravagant pool party.

The clock on the wall was the loudest thing in the room. Each blip was a dagger. He wanted to enjoy this night. He'd envisioned it for weeks. He'd planned everything. But the emptiness felt palpable.

He kept glancing at his phone, waiting for the first text, the first sign of life. Nothing. He balled his fist and felt the tension build, the tight, electric feeling in his stomach. He picked up his controller and looked at it, then threw it back down.