Gemotions

The cafeteria buzzed around him, a cacophony of cheerful chatter that felt like a personal insult. He picked at his sandwich, the food suddenly tasteless. He watched the others, the ones he knew looked down on him, the ones who always seemed to get the benefit of the doubt. They were laughing, carefree, oblivious to the storm brewing inside him.

His chest felt heavy, as if a great weight had settled upon it. The accusations swirled in his mind, accusations he found outrageous. He looked down and saw his hand shaking as he put his sandwich back down on the table. He felt like the world was spinning.

He pushed his tray away, his appetite gone. The injustice of it all, that feeling he just *knew* he'd be judged unfairly, felt sharp, cutting. He would not give them the satisfaction of seeing him break.