Gemotions

Liam stared at the email, the words blurring before his eyes. It was a mass invite for the company’s annual charity gala. The company where Mark, his best pal from college, was a “senior marketing executive.” Only, the email was from a local sandwich shop, and listed Mark's job title as "sandwich artist." Liam's cheeks burned as he reread the invitation.

He recalled all the times Mark had regaled him with tales of high-powered meetings, international travel, and strategic marketing campaigns. Now, this. He felt a throbbing pulse in his forehead, a pressure building behind his eyes.

He imagined the charity gala. The awkward questions. The inevitable exposure. He needed to find a way out of it. He needed to avoid Mark. He deleted the email, then immediately regretted it. He needed to face this, but how?