Gemotions

He checked his phone for the tenth time in as many minutes, willing a distraction to magically appear. Nothing. The anticipation had been building all day, a pressure cooker about to explode. He tugged at his collar, the fabric suddenly feeling constricting.

The speeches were finally winding down, and the emcee started with a summary of the upcoming speakers. He found himself unable to breathe comfortably, and started to scratch at his wrist, leaving red marks. When his name was called, the sound seemed far away.

He walked to the podium feeling disoriented, like he was floating. He hoped he could get through the next few minutes. He hoped his voice wouldn’t fail him completely.