Gemotions

The news hit Ben like a physical blow. A carefully constructed house of cards, collapsing in on itself. He felt the blood rush to his head, a dizzying sensation. His breath hitched. He closed his eyes, squeezing them shut against the sudden, overwhelming pressure.

He wanted to scream, to lash out. He wanted to shatter the carefully curated facade of calm he presented to the world. He slammed his fist down on the table, the force startling him. The books, neatly stacked, wobbled precariously.

He got up and started pacing. He didn't know where to go. The cafeteria, where he usually ate, seemed too full of people. The library was a place of quiet, a thing he couldn't face at the moment. He needed to be alone and the only place that seemed like a solution, his room, seemed like a prison.