Gemotions

Liam drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, the insistent rhythm a counterpoint to the buzzing in his ears. His best friend, Noah, had sent a text: “Beach bonfire! BYOB!” Liam’s own birthday celebration, a stuffy dinner at his parents’ house, loomed like a beige cloud on his horizon. The thought of polite conversation and his aunt’s casserole made his stomach clench.

He glanced at his reflection in the rearview mirror. His face was pale, his eyes wide. He felt a desperate urge to bolt, to escape the preordained script. The endless gridlock on the highway did nothing to calm the rising panic.

He considered pulling over, inventing an emergency. He pictured the bonfire, the salty air, the laughter. The possibility of missing out on everything suddenly made him furious.