Gemotions

The clinking of glasses and the boisterous laughter of the crowd grated on his nerves. He found himself avoiding eye contact, preferring to study the pattern on the tablecloth. His stomach churned. The room felt oppressively bright, the air thick with the scent of perfume and unspoken resentments.

He listened to his brother's toast, a seamless tapestry of fond memories and witty anecdotes. He, on the other hand, was struggling to formulate a single coherent thought. He felt a sudden, intense craving for solitude. He wanted to escape, to be anywhere but here, to avoid the painful contrast between his own perceived mediocrity and his parents' apparent perfection.