Gemotions

He’d always considered his essay a bit…much. But he’d needed to stand out. Now, here it was, in print, in a glossy brochure distributed at the alumni event. He stared at it, the words seeming to mock him. His chest felt tight, constricted.

The event, once something he'd looked forward to, now seemed like a death sentence. He saw his old professor, and instinctively ducked behind a potted plant. His cheeks felt like they were on fire.

Later, he considered quitting his job. The thought of facing his colleagues, knowing they could all read his story – the one about his embarrassing childhood incident – was unbearable.