Gemotions

The box felt heavy in her hands, even though it was nearly empty. She'd found it in the attic, tucked away amongst forgotten holiday decorations and moth-eaten blankets. Inside was a collection of old photographs, relics of a past she’d tried to bury.

The high school reunion was only a week away. The thought of it had kept her awake for days. She sat on the floor, surrounded by the remnants of her youth, and picked up a photograph of herself, hair pulled back in a severe ponytail, acne scarring her cheeks. She was with her friends, all of them laughing, and she felt a wave of dizziness.

She remembered the insecurities, the anxieties, the constant feeling of being judged. She remembered the betrayal, the whispers, the sharp sting of rejection. She closed her eyes, and a tear escaped, tracing a path down her cheek. The invitation, she knew, would remain unanswered.