Gemotions

The afternoon sun beat down, but the heat did nothing to warm Leo. The adoption results had come through that morning, and he felt a cold dread wrapping around his heart. He kicked a stray pebble across the pavement, the small sound loud in the sudden quiet of the street. He hated how it felt.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, avoiding eye contact with anyone who passed. The world seemed overly bright, overly cheerful. He just wanted to disappear, to melt into the shadows.

He thought about the phone call he would need to make, the explanations he would be obligated to give. The thought made his stomach churn. Each imagined sentence felt like a fresh wound.