Gemotions

The embossed invitation felt heavy in Daniel's hand, like a small, accusing weight. He ran a finger over the gold lettering, 'Northwood High - Class of '04 - Tenth Reunion'. A shiver skittered down his spine, a cold draft despite the summer heat. He’d barely spoken to anyone from Northwood since graduation. His life now was a world away from the manicured lawns and privileged cliques of his youth.

He crumpled the paper in his fist, then smoothed it out, smoothing out the imagined wrinkles in his life. Maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be so bad. A half-formed smile flickered across his face, then vanished as quickly as it came. He tossed the invitation onto the growing pile of bills on his kitchen table, the only other piece of paper among them, a reminder of the life he really lived.

His gaze drifted to the chipped paint on the wall. He picked up his phone, then put it back down, unread. He had a sudden urge to clean, to scrub away the dust and the past, even if it was only a few hours.