Gemotions

"The restaurant cancelled?" Liam’s voice cracked, a thin, reedy sound that echoed in the empty cafe. He repeated the words to the disinterested waiter, the words a confirmation of his fears. It wasn't the restaurant, but the party itself, that had been cancelled, he knew.

He stared at his reflection in the window, a stranger staring back. He saw the drooping shoulders, the sunken eyes. He saw the man who never seemed to get it right. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his shaking hands.

The cafe buzz hummed around him, a cheerful backdrop to his private failure. He felt like an extra in someone else's life, a character whose scenes had been cut. He fumbled for his wallet, paid for his lukewarm coffee, and walked out into the bright sunshine, which suddenly felt incredibly harsh.