Gemotions

He stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. The familiar face seemed alien. Every crease, every line, was a monument to his perceived shortcomings.

His father knocked. “You alright in there, son?”

He clenched his jaw, his muscles tightening. He wanted to scream, to lash out. He wanted to be anywhere but here.

"Yeah," he said through gritted teeth. He waited until he heard his father's footsteps recede before finally turning on the water, letting the cold liquid wash over his hands. He scrubbed, and scrubbed, until his skin felt raw.