Gemotions

He’d been practicing his acceptance speech for weeks. Now, Daniel crumpled the letter in his fist, its crisp edges digging into his palm. His pulse thrummed in his ears, a frantic drumbeat. He slumped in his chair, feeling every muscle in his body tense. He couldn’t look at his laptop screen.

He imagined his parents' disappointment. He’d told them this was it, this was his big break. The thought of facing them, of hearing their hesitant words of comfort, made his stomach churn. The room felt suddenly small, suffocating.

He felt a strange pressure building behind his eyes.