Gemotions

The lobby felt like a maze, each hallway a potential ambush. Liam tugged at the collar of his shirt. He was used to public speaking, to negotiating high-stakes deals, but this – this felt different. He needed to be calm, collected. He needed to be vulnerable. The prospect made his palms sweat.

He remembered the constant jostling in the school hallways, the cutting remarks. He remembered the feeling of helplessness. Now, he was about to lay bare his vulnerabilities to the very person who had once exploited them.

He entered the office, bracing himself. His former adversary, now a professional, greeted him with a polite smile. Liam’s throat constricted, his voice failing him for a moment. He had to do this.