Gemotions

"Are you alright, Leo?" His sister's question, softly spoken, cut through the noise of the cafe. He jumped, spilling a bit of his latte. "Just... tired," he mumbled, avoiding her gaze. The revelation about Mark, his 'software engineer' friend, the one he’d always described as the genius in their group, had left him feeling…off-kilter.

He kept seeing Mark's face when he realized that he had been an accountant this whole time. The image was vivid. He couldn't shake the picture of them meeting for brunch, him boasting about a new project, and now Leo felt physically sick.

He pushed his plate away, suddenly losing his appetite. He thought of all the times he’d sought Mark’s advice, the times he'd leaned on him for career guidance. He wanted to shout, to throw something. Now he understood that Mark had been no better than him, faking it through life. He buried his face in his hands.