Gemotions

"Dinner's ready!" Her dad's booming voice carried through the house. Leo gripped the worn banister as he descended the stairs, each creak of the wood echoing through the silent hallway. He'd been holed up in his old room all day, pretending to work, but really just staring at the peeling paint on the ceiling.

At the dining table, his mother had set out his favorite meal: meatloaf and mashed potatoes. He picked at his food, his appetite suddenly gone. The way his parents watched him, a mixture of concern and pity on their faces, was almost unbearable. He could feel heat rising in his neck.