Gemotions

“Oh, hey, Ben! Long time, no see! You wouldn't happen to have been at Camp Timberline, would you?” This came from Ethan, the most irritating optimist in the office, his voice echoing loudly in the open-plan space.

Ben felt a familiar tightening in his chest. Camp Timberline. The memory of forced camaraderie, the awful food, and the relentless noise was a source of discomfort. He looked at Ethan with an expression that was carefully blank.

“I was,” he replied flatly. He took a sip of his coffee, as if to ward off the memory. He was going to start to have a bad day.

Ethan started to recount some story about a lost compass during a nature hike, his enthusiasm reaching deafening levels. Ben made a point of staring intently at the computer screen, the words blurring before his eyes.

"Must have been exciting," he managed, his voice barely audible above Ethan's enthusiastic monologue. He then swiveled his chair away, ending the conversation.