Gemotions

He walked aimlessly around the park, the fallen leaves crunching under his feet. Maya's party would be a dance-off; his was a simple picnic. The thought of it, of being *there*, filled him with a strange dread. The sun felt weak, the breeze bitingly cold.

He shoved his hands into his pockets. He felt as though he were trapped in a bubble of his own making, a world where joy and enthusiasm were foreign concepts. He stopped, leaned against a tree, and just stared at the ground.

The sound of children laughing in the distance grated on his nerves. He felt a weariness, a profound sense of the futility of it all. He didn't want to think about anything, or see anyone. He just wanted to disappear.