Gemotions

The phone slipped from Liam's grasp, clattering onto the hardwood floor. He didn't move to pick it up. He just stared at the dropped phone, the screen now dark, reflecting his own shocked face. The call with Noah had ended moments ago. California. A new job. A new life.

He sank back onto the couch, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He wanted to shout, to break something, to somehow rewind time and erase the last five minutes. He hated the way his heart was pounding.

He picked up a nearby cushion and hugged it, squeezing it so hard his knuckles turned white. He wanted to curl up and vanish. The weight of it all was crushing.