Gemotions

He found it in the bottom of a drawer, tucked beneath a pile of old bills and forgotten trinkets. The paper, a faded blue, was brittle and thin. Daniel recognized his handwriting immediately, even after all these years. He knew immediately it was addressed to his college professor, a man he had admired. His breath caught in his throat.

The letter contained questions, a desire for approval, a shy exploration of ideas. Daniel felt a blush creep up his neck. He remembered how he had wanted to be accepted, to be seen as intelligent. He folded his arms across his chest. The words, filled with youthful ambition and a desperate need to impress, made him feel exposed.

He’d always hidden his vulnerabilities, always masked his true feelings. The letter felt like a betrayal of the carefully constructed walls he'd built around himself. He pushed the letter away, as if it could burn him.