Gemotions

The neon lights of the arcade pulsed, the cacophony of sounds swirling around Ben. He stood frozen, watching as his friend, Daniel, emerged from the back room, a grease-stained apron tied around his waist. Daniel, the acclaimed "video game developer," was working at a greasy spoon.

A sharp, unwelcome sting filled Ben's chest. He felt like he'd been punched. The games, once a shared passion, now felt tainted. The shared dreams, the late-night talks about the future, now felt like a joke. He had always looked up to him. He was supposed to be successful.

"You... you flip burgers?" The question felt foolish, inadequate, and the words barely escaped his lips. He needed to disappear.