Gemotions

He avoided eye contact, staring intensely at the cracked pavement. A slow burn had been eating at Leo all day. The news – that David, his supposed entrepreneur friend, was actually just working a dead-end job at the local supermarket – felt like a physical blow. A weight pressed down on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

He had always admired David's supposed drive, his tales of venture capital meetings and groundbreaking tech ideas. Leo, who was struggling with a mountain of student debt, had found inspiration in David's supposed success. Now, he felt hollow, as if the air had been sucked out of the room. He felt foolish.

"So… the big launch is still, uh… in development?" Leo asked, his voice flat. David just mumbled something in response, and Leo couldn't bring himself to push the conversation any further. He turned and walked away, the distance between them feeling impossibly wide.