Gemotions

The notification buzzed, a tiny vibration on her phone. High school reunion. She considered ignoring it, deleting the message, pretending it never happened. But the small, persistent ping demanded attention.

Her nails, bitten down to the quick, tapped restlessly against the countertop. She scrolled through the list of potential attendees, her fingers flying over names she barely remembered. A wave of heat washed over her, making her forehead damp.

She wanted to be elsewhere. Anywhere. The thought of being in the same room, breathing the same air, sharing the same space with those people made her throat constrict. The air in the room felt thick, heavy, like a suffocating blanket. She slammed her phone down, the sound echoing through the empty apartment.