Gemotions

He found the link while aimlessly surfing the net. A link to ‘Mark’s Teenage Musings’. Mark, he thought, with a sneer curling his lip. It took him a few seconds to realize it was him. An old, forgotten online diary. He clicked the link, a knot tightening in his stomach.

The entries were laughably earnest, filled with adolescent drama and declarations of undying love for a girl who had barely noticed him. He reread a particularly cringe-worthy passage about a school dance, his jaw clenching. He closed the browser, the images of awkward teenagers and their dramas blurring in his mind.

He walked over to his bookshelf, his hand tracing the spines of his favorite books, finding no solace in the stories. He picked up a heavy, leather-bound volume and slammed it back down, the impact shaking the shelves. Frustration bubbled up in his chest. He looked at the window and thought, "I should go for a run, I have to run."