Gemotions

The invitation landed on the kitchen island with a soft thud. John, busy at the stove, ignored it at first. Then, a sense of unease settled upon him, a prickly sensation that grew with each passing moment. He slammed the frying pan onto the burner, the sudden noise a release for his building agitation. His shoulders were stiff, his jaw tight. He was haunted by the faces of his classmates, their judgments, their expectations. He turned off the heat, his appetite gone. The perfectly planned meal became just a burden.