Gemotions

A cold sweat slicked down Leo’s back, plastering his shirt to his skin. He couldn't meet Dr. Ramirez's gaze; the man’s eyes were too discerning, too perceptive. Leo's hands were clenched so tight that his nails were digging crescent moons into his palms. He felt a throbbing pulse in his temples, a relentless drumbeat that matched the frantic rhythm of his heart.

"This is… a mistake," he choked out, the words catching in his throat like a swallowed bone. He cleared his throat, trying to regain some semblance of composure. He knew he was failing. Every part of him screamed that he was.

The small office felt smaller now, the walls closing in. He focused on the patterns in the rug, anything to avoid the inevitable. He’d made a terrible mistake, and the consequences seemed to loom over him, vast and inescapable. The shame was a physical weight, pressing down on him.