Gemotions

The phone call was the first indication. His sister, with a laugh in her voice, said, "Mom wants you to give a speech." His brow furrowed. He wasn’t prepared for this.

He had always been the one to avoid the limelight. He preferred the quiet company of books and his own thoughts. Public speaking was something he actively avoided.

He ran a hand through his hair, a familiar gesture of worry. The thought of standing in front of a room full of people, all staring at him, sent a shiver down his spine. He began to mentally rehearse excuses, any way to wriggle out of this predicament.