Gemotions

The doctor's waiting room was quiet, almost eerily so. Leo sat, hands clasped, staring at a framed landscape painting. He had just seen the ad in the local paper. The picture had shown his childhood antagonist, now a fully certified therapist, smiling widely, inviting new patients.

He’d always pictured Marcus failing, ending up as a loser. Now, Marcus was the one people turned to for help. His jaw clenched. The thought of pouring his heart out to him, of being vulnerable in front of him, felt like an insurmountable obstacle.

He felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to flee. He stood up, pacing back and forth, the room seeming to shrink around him.