Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of Leo's apartment, mirroring the turmoil within him. He clutched the biography, its pages now dog-eared and stained with the coffee he'd spilled in a moment of clumsy distraction. He hadn't asked for this, this intrusion into his private sphere. His pulse thrummed in his ears as he thought about how he might react when he found the author.

He pictured the author, a stranger, poring over his life, analyzing his failures, his triumphs, his most intimate moments. A knot tightened in his gut. A shiver ran down his spine. It was a violation, a deep cut that he couldn't just brush off. He’d never felt so exposed, so vulnerable.

He had started re-reading the book, but the words blurred before his eyes. It was a distorted mirror reflecting back a version of himself he barely recognized. He tossed the book onto the sofa, the gesture harsh and quick. He needed to get out, to breathe. He grabbed his coat, the fabric clinging to his wet clothes.