Gemotions

The tiny, cramped apartment suddenly felt suffocating. Ethan scanned the text message again, his pulse thrumming in his ears. "Going to be a big one! Paintball, Saturday!" It was from Max, announcing his birthday. Ethan’s birthday was the same day, and he'd planned a quiet night at home with board games.

He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the strands. The neatly arranged invitations for his intimate gathering mocked him. He couldn’t even bring himself to eat the leftover pizza in the fridge.

He slammed his fist on the table, the small apartment seeming to shake with his frustration. He imagined all his friends choosing between paintball and his board games.