Gemotions

The sun glared through the window, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air as Alex read. *Go scuba diving. Write a book. Learn to speak Italian*. His father's bucket list. He felt a familiar constriction in his chest, making each breath shallow. He was already stretched thin, juggling multiple jobs to make ends meet.

He clenched his fists, feeling the tendons in his wrists strain. The silence in the apartment was deafening. The idea of embracing new adventures, of experiencing the world as his father had wished, felt both exhilarating and terrifying.

He took a shaky breath, trying to calm the racing in his heart.