Gemotions

He knew this day would come. It didn’t make it easier. John flipped through the alumni magazine and stopped. There, staring back at him, was the carefully crafted version of his early life, his struggles, his triumphs. His essay, published alongside a glossy photo of him smiling into the future. It felt like a betrayal.

His breath hitched. He had moved on. He had built a life. He didn’t want to be defined by those struggles, yet here they were, in print, a permanent record. He tossed the magazine aside. He would avoid the alumni mixer. He didn't want to explain, to justify, to relive.