Gemotions

Liam slammed the car door with a force that rattled the windows. The house, his father's house, felt foreign and unwelcoming now. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of unfamiliar perfume and the sound of boisterous laughter. He shoved his hands in his pockets, his jaw clenched, as he made his way towards the living room.

He found his father, arms wrapped around a tall, slender woman, whose face was illuminated by a dazzling smile. Beside them stood a young man, who looked eerily familiar. The easy way his father embraced him… the lack of space for Liam.

He took a step back, the blood draining from his face. His fists balled, fingernails digging into his palms. He wasn't sure if he was angry at his father, the newcomer, or the world in general, but the feeling was a corrosive acid, burning a hole through him. He turned and fled, the party’s joy a sharp, jagged edge in his side.