Gemotions

Mark felt a cold sweat prickle his skin as he read the invitation. The printed words blurred before his eyes. It sat on his desk, next to a stack of untouched paperwork. The thought of the reunion felt like a physical weight pressing on his chest.

He swiveled in his chair, staring out the window at the cityscape. The city lights began to blur, blending into one another like his worries. He closed his eyes, imagining the inevitable conversations, the comparisons, the judgments.

He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that couldn't stop the feeling of being trapped. He was meant for more, or so he thought. He had to be. He had so much that he didn't. The city lights seemed to mock him.