Gemotions

He saw the picture on her desk – a smiling group of kids, arms slung around each other. Camp Skylark, the very place that had once been his own personal hell. He felt his face flush.

"You went to Skylark?" he asked, attempting a casual tone.

She beamed. "Yeah! Best summer ever!"

He swallowed hard. He remembered the taunts, the isolation, the constant feeling of inadequacy. He remembers the counselors turning a blind eye. He knew her bright smile was a cruel irony. He could barely breathe.

He nodded, forcing a smile of his own. The corner of his mouth felt heavy.