Gemotions

The cold pizza sat on the counter, untouched. Michael, staring into the middle distance, felt like he was wading through a thick, invisible swamp. A buzz from his phone: a friend request. It was from Gary, the captain of the football team, who had made his life miserable during his brief time at the new school.

He felt a prickle of discomfort crawl up his spine, followed by a sudden rush of blood to his face. He remembered the sting of Gary's words, the constant feeling of being judged, the pervasive sense of being less than. He leaned heavily against the counter, the world tilting slightly.