Gemotions

He tapped his pen against the table, the sound echoing in the otherwise quiet library. The sheer audacity of it! Ben, of all people, claiming he’d been the one to suggest they try out for the school play. It was *his* dream, *his* fevered ambition, that had led them to audition.

"Come on, Leo," Ben said, a friendly smile plastered on his face. "You were so nervous, remember? I had to practically drag you up on stage."

Leo’s jaw clenched. Drag him? He remembered rehearsing his lines for weeks, practicing his walk, obsessing over every gesture. Ben, meanwhile, had been off flirting with the stage crew. He ran a hand through his hair, the familiar frustration prickling at the back of his neck. His stomach felt tight, like a fist was squeezing it.

"I distinctly recall *you* being more concerned with the lighting crew than anything else," he finally muttered, his voice low.