Gemotions

He had avoided his father's calls leading up to the party. He always found excuses. Now, surrounded by family, he felt like an imposter. He had always been the disappointment, the one who didn't follow the path, and that awareness felt sharper than ever.

When it was his turn, the room seemed to spin. He spoke in a monotone, the carefully rehearsed words sounding like a stranger's script. He felt the weight of his father's disappointed gaze, the unspoken judgements of his relatives. He swallowed hard, desperate to retreat, to hide from the judgment.