Gemotions

He couldn’t meet Mark’s gaze. The casual announcement – across the country, a new life – had knocked the wind out of him. He’d always imagined their future, side-by-side, navigating life's absurdities together. Now, he felt the carefully constructed scaffolding of their friendship collapsing.

He pretended to be engrossed in his phone, scrolling through social media, the images of people's joyful lives grating on his nerves. He ignored Mark’s attempts to include him in the planning, answering with clipped, dismissive responses.

He felt a tightness in his chest, a sensation of being utterly deserted. The air around him seemed thick, heavy, charged with a strange and unfamiliar emotion. The silence between them felt deafening.