Gemotions

The school hallways, usually vibrant and energetic, now felt like a suffocating maze. The smell of floor wax and stale air hung heavy, the same odors he remembered from his youth. His daughter, Lily, skipped ahead, oblivious to the way his heart hammered in his chest. The teacher, Mr. Abernathy, a man he remembered as being stern and critical, was now…older.

He felt the familiar knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach. He remembered the humiliation of failing the spelling test. He remembered the feeling of being judged.

He reached out and gently took Lily's hand, his grip tighter than intended. He would protect her, he vowed, even if it meant confronting his own demons.