Gemotions

The rain hammered against the bus windows, blurring the streetlights into hazy halos. Ethan sat beside Liam, his childhood chum, on their shared commute. Liam was absorbed in a video on his phone, oblivious to Ethan’s silent scrutiny. Ethan felt an odd tingling in his fingers, a sort of electrical buzz.

They’d shared a million secrets, built elaborate Lego castles, and promised to be best friends forever. Until, of course, they hadn’t. Liam, it seemed, had forgotten all of it. A small smile flickered across Ethan's face. He leaned closer to the window, watching the rain streak down the glass.

He had expected anger, sorrow, resentment, anything but this peculiar sense of elevation. The world felt brighter, sharper somehow. He had been released from the weight of the past. He could reinvent his story. He straightened up and breathed in.

He was suddenly aware of the scent of wet asphalt and diesel, the rumble of the bus engine. Blissful.