Gemotions

A wave of dizziness washed over him as Mrs. Miller presented her request. The request felt like a blow. He'd been struggling to keep it together all week. The sudden interruption felt overwhelming, a threat to the carefully constructed order of his life.

He gripped the doorframe, his knuckles white. Her words seemed to reverberate in his ears. He hated being put on the spot. He wanted her to leave, to disappear.

He managed a weak smile, but the corners of his mouth felt frozen, as if they might crack. "I'll consider it," he mumbled, backing away from the door, desperate to escape.