Gemotions

The spreadsheet on his monitor blurred. He blinked, focusing again on the numbers, but the data swam before his eyes. Across the room, Maria was laughing, her voice carrying a vibrancy that seemed to electrify the air. They were trading tales of Camp Firefly, the same camp he’d spent a formative summer at, and he had the uncomfortable feeling of a small jolt running through him, a feeling like an electric shock.

He drummed his fingers on the desk, the sound loud in his ears. His palms felt clammy. Every memory she spoke of, every specific detail, felt like a small, unexpected explosion of vibrant colors. He wanted to interrupt, to add his own stories, to shout above her, but a strange shyness held him back.

“And the lake!” Maria exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. He wanted to see it again, now, immediately. He got to his feet, feeling an uncontrollable urge to walk, to move, to be anywhere other than here, chained to his desk.