Gemotions

The clink of champagne glasses felt like a personal insult to Ben. He saw Mrs. Chen, who had always played the part of the struggling artist, laughing heartily with a group of friends outside her newly remodeled mansion. The property gleamed, a stark contrast to his own modest home.

He had spent years listening to her tales of financial woe, of creative struggles, of having to choose between groceries and art supplies. He had even, on occasion, anonymously slipped a twenty-dollar bill under her door.

He felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to throw something. He glared at her through his window, a slow burn rising within him. He turned away from the spectacle, feeling a deep, unexpected sense of estrangement.