Gemotions

The magazine lay open on the kitchen counter, the glossy pages reflecting the morning sunlight. His mother had circled the article with a bright pink marker, the words “So proud!” scrawled in the margin. The essay, the one his sister had written about her summer volunteering trip, filled his stomach with unease. He pretended to read the newspaper, avoiding his mother's eyes.

He'd spent months working on his application essay, meticulously crafting each sentence, struggling to find the perfect tone. It was a good essay, he thought, but it was nothing compared to his sister’s. This one flowed easily. Now, the whole family would probably be reading the article. He focused on his coffee, the bitter taste a welcome distraction from the rising tide of internal turmoil.

He felt a sudden compulsion to go to the gym, to do something, anything, to distract himself from this unwelcome spotlight on his sister's success.