Gemotions

The glossy photograph of the high school gymnasium on the invitation made Daniel's jaw clench. "Relive the glory days!" it urged. Glory days. His heart felt like a lump of cold stone.

He remembered the endless taunts, the feeling of being an outsider. He remembered the sting of every rejection. He hadn’t changed, not really. He was still the same awkward kid, only now he had to manage his own company, not just his dad’s.

He lit a cigarette, the smoke a thin veil against the overwhelming feeling of inadequacy. The nicotine did little to soothe the knot in his stomach. He imagined the smirks, the whispers, the unspoken judgments.