Gemotions

He stared at the essay on the screen. The title: "The Courage to Confront My Fears." It felt like a joke. He’d never felt courageous. He felt his face flush with heat. The essay, the one about his fear of failure and his social awkwardness, was being held up as an example.

His shoulders slumped. He felt an intense desire to withdraw, to hide. The words on the page seemed to mock him, the carefully constructed persona he had tried to create now shattered.

He found himself pacing the room, his hands clasched behind his back. He felt a rising panic, a frantic need to escape the scrutiny. He wanted to scream, but the words caught in his throat.