Gemotions

The breath hitched in Marco's throat. He felt the blood drain from his face, leaving him feeling cold and empty. He had just sent a private, emotionally charged message meant for his therapist to his estranged father. It was a cry for help. It was a plea for understanding. It was also a total breach of trust.

He felt the room tilt. He sat down abruptly, as his legs felt too weak to hold him. His chest tightened, making it hard to take a full breath. The phone slipped from his hand, clattering onto the floor. He didn't even bother to pick it up.

He felt a profound sense of shame, of exposure. He had stripped himself bare, laid his vulnerabilities bare for his father to see. He envisioned the judgment, the criticism, the pity. He wanted to hide, to disappear. He felt utterly and completely defeated.