Gemotions

The letter crackled in Emily's grasp. She'd been cleaning out a drawer and found the unopened envelope addressed to her high school boyfriend. The date on the envelope was ancient. The youthful handwriting, once familiar, seemed distant, a relic of a life she no longer recognized.

She scanned the words, a flurry of youthful, passionate, yet heartbroken declarations. They were accusations, though cloaked in the language of teenage drama. The words cut deep, triggering a visceral reaction. Her face was hot. She crumpled the paper, the sound sharp in the otherwise quiet room.

She tossed the balled paper into the trash, then grabbed her keys. She had to *go*.