Gemotions

He paced the length of his cramped apartment, each stride a measure of his apprehension. Ethan’s birthday. A backyard barbecue, burgers and beer. Then, there was Jake’s extravagant beach bonfire. He felt the tension coiled in his shoulders.

He kept replaying conversations in his head, the subtle hints, the offhand comments about the "coolest party ever." He imagined everyone flocking to the beach, leaving his backyard deserted.

He glanced at the half-inflated balloons, the sad string of fairy lights. His hands felt clammy, his breath shallow. The anticipation of failure was a heavy weight, pressing down on him.