Gemotions

Liam sat on the cracked brick wall outside the student union, the wind whipping through his hair. He’d been coming here every day for four years, watching the same people come and go. Now, the news. The college was shutting down. A wave of disorientation washed over him.

He absently kicked at a loose stone, sending it skittering across the pavement. Four years. He'd met his best friends here, found a passion for history, even fell in love (and out of it). Everything he'd known, all the routines, all the memories – crumbling.

A hot tightness filled his throat. He pulled out his phone, scrolling through old photos – graduation day, late-night pizza runs, silly selfies. Every picture was a punch to the gut. He stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets. He needed a drink, a distraction, anything to stop the ache in his chest.