Gemotions

The silence in the car on the way to the grocery store was deafening. Alex sat in the back, staring out the window, watching the world blur by. The forced smiles, the attempts at small talk felt like a betrayal of his own misery. He preferred to be left alone with his thoughts, though they were hardly pleasant company.

He felt the familiar clench in his gut when his mother reached back and squeezed his hand, the gesture meant to offer comfort. He pulled his hand away quickly, his face burning.

He felt a deep-seated contempt for the ease with which his parents navigated life, for the simplicity of their contentment. He focused on the grime under his fingernails, the imperfection of the road.