Gemotions

Liam stared at the invitation, the glossy photo of the school a stark reminder of a past he’d tried to bury. He'd moved across the country, changed his name, and carefully constructed a life far removed from the awkward kid with the bad haircut and the even worse luck with girls. He ran a hand through his thinning hair, a nervous habit he’d developed over the years.

He felt the familiar thrum of unease in his chest, a tight, constricting sensation. The thought of being back in the same room with people who remembered the old him sent a wave of nausea through him. He tossed the invitation onto the kitchen counter, the sound echoing in the empty apartment.

He had built himself a fortress. He was safe here, anonymous. The reunion threatened to tear down the walls. He picked up the invitation again and ripped it in half. Then in half again. The small gestures of defiance did not help the hollow feeling in his gut.