Gemotions

The invitation felt like a physical blow. When she saw the familiar school crest on the return address, her hand flew to her throat, a choked sound escaping her lips. "No," she breathed, the word a desperate plea into the silence of her apartment.

She’d thought she’d escaped. She’d built a life, a career, a whole new identity, far away from that small town. Now, this… this intrusion. The memories flooded back, unwanted and unwelcome. She ran her fingers through her hair, a nervous gesture.

She paced her living room. The reunion, with its promise of forced camaraderie and judgment, filled her with a suffocating feeling. She felt an urgent need to flee, to disappear. She had to think. She had to decide what to do.