Gemotions

Mark stared at his reflection, the reunion announcement still clutched in his sweaty hand. He ran a hand over his thinning hair, a gesture that felt more like a desperate attempt to smooth away the years than an act of grooming. He looked… older.

He’d always felt like an outsider, and the thought of returning to that particular landscape of social anxiety was almost unbearable. He could feel his stomach clench. He pictured the jocks, the popular girls, the kids who had seemingly sailed through life with effortless grace. Would they remember him? Would they even care?

He went to his closet and grabbed a shirt, putting it back almost immediately. He needed to find something… something that would make him feel less exposed, less vulnerable. He felt suddenly, intensely, unprepared.