Gemotions

The air was heavy, the silence in the apartment deafening. He had been avoiding his mother for days, ever since he'd found the boxes stashed in the basement. Now, they sat in the middle of the floor, a stark reminder. He felt as if his skin didn’t quite fit.

Each paper felt like a violation. An essay on the Great Depression. A report card filled with average grades. His face burned with shame. He picked up his phone, scrolling through contacts, before putting it back down.

He walked over to the window, the city lights blurred through his unshed tears. He felt suffocated.