Gemotions

He buried his face in his hands. His palms were clammy, slick with sweat. The article, "A Look Back: John's Cringeworthy Teen Diary," was trending. He couldn't bring himself to click on it again. Images of his youthful self, hair slicked back, posing with a guitar, flashed through his mind.

Later that afternoon, his phone rang. It was his boss, and the tone of the conversation was strained. John found himself stammering, his voice catching in his throat as he tried to explain his actions from so long ago. He hung up the phone feeling as though he’d been kicked in the gut.

That evening, he went for a long, aimless walk, the brisk autumn air doing little to cool the fire raging inside him. He felt as though he would never recover.