Gemotions

"Oh my god, Liam, that's amazing!" Sarah's voice, brimming with excited energy, grated on him. "They actually used yours! I read it, it's so… you." He managed a weak smile, but the words felt like a vise tightening around his head.

He excused himself, claiming a sudden headache. Sunlight streaming through the window seemed too bright, the sounds of the party too loud. He slipped away, retreating to the relative silence of the guest bathroom.

He stared at his reflection, his skin pale and clammy. His breath hitched in his throat. He thought of all the vulnerable truths, the insecurities he'd laid bare in that essay, now shared for the amusement of strangers. He felt incredibly vulnerable.