Gemotions

The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the living room. Leo sat hunched over the box, a mountain of paper separating him from the present. He’d stumbled upon a particularly scathing essay he’d written in high school, filled with teenage bravado and misguided opinions. His mother had carefully underlined his mistakes, red ink bleeding through the thin paper.

He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture. He hadn't known she was even paying attention, let alone keeping a record. The weight in his shoulders was almost unbearable, a physical manifestation of something heavy and unwelcome.