Gemotions

The flowers were a splash of color against the monotony of the office. He'd been feeling off all day, a thin veil of sadness clinging to him. He approached the arrangement cautiously, a feeling of unease bubbling up.

They were sunflowers, impossibly cheerful. He could feel the eyes of his colleagues on him, a silent judgment that made his skin crawl. He reached out to touch a petal, but pulled his hand back, as if burned.

He slowly moved away, back to his desk. He stared at the work in front of him, but his mind was not there. The flowers felt like a spotlight, and he was the unwilling center of attention.