Gemotions

He nearly missed the flyer tucked into his mailbox. It was the glossy, smiling faces that finally caught his eye, and he snatched it up, his breath hitching. The invitation to his high school reunion. He crumpled it up and threw it into the trash can.

A restless energy filled him. His hands wouldn't stop fidgeting. He reached for his phone, scrolling through social media, seeing the lives of people he hadn't spoken to in years. Vacation photos, new babies, promotions... it felt suffocating.

He slammed his laptop shut, the abrupt action echoing in the quiet apartment. He'd been working on a presentation all morning, and the thought of facing those classmates - of explaining why he hadn't followed the path they’d all predicted for him - was paralyzing.