Gemotions

He’d been rearranging his study, dusting off forgotten shelves when he found it – a box labeled “Miscellaneous.” Inside, nestled amongst old photographs and dried flowers, lay his diary, the one he’d kept during his awkward adolescence. Now it was plastered all over the internet. David felt a strange fluttering in his chest as he read the headline.

He sat down heavily on the worn leather armchair, the springs protesting under him. He felt a lump rise in his throat, a tightness he hadn't experienced in years. The font on his laptop screen became blurry as he began to read. He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his vision.

The words, so juvenile and full of angst, resonated with a power he hadn’t anticipated. He saw his younger self, vulnerable and striving. A gentle chuckle escaped his lips as he read about his first crush, the girl with the bright red hair and the way she made his palms sweat. He picked up his phone, slowly scrolling through his contacts, and then put it down again.