Gemotions

The invitation to the high school reunion arrived in the mail, crisp and unyielding. The usual excitement of seeing old friends was immediately replaced by a chilling sensation. He knew, with a certainty that settled in his gut like a stone, that Elias would be there.

He hadn’t seen him in years. He’d meticulously avoided any potential overlap, any possibility of an encounter. Now, it was unavoidable. He felt a familiar knot tighten in his stomach. He pictured the banquet hall, the crowded room, the inevitable confrontation.

He tried to imagine a scenario where he could politely greet him, offer a brief handshake, and move on. But every attempt at constructing a calm, rational response crumbled under the weight of his anxiety. He threw the invitation in the trash. He knew the feeling, and it was the same one he felt when he was in the principal's office.