Gemotions

John stared at the letter, its yellowed paper crackling in his trembling hand. He’d found it tucked inside a dusty copy of his father’s favorite book. The letter, penned in his own youthful scrawl, was addressed to his best friend, detailing the secret crush he had on his friend's sister.

He felt the blood drain from his face. The shy, awkward boy he used to be was staring back at him from the page, a ghost of a self he thought he'd buried long ago. His heart hammered against his ribs. The naive confession, the childish yearning… it felt alien now, yet undeniably him.

He wished he could rewind time, erase the words, rewrite the past. The letter felt like a betrayal, not just of his younger self, but of the man he’d become. He crumpled it in his fist, then, with a sigh, smoothed it back out. He was stuck with it.