Gemotions

The coffee shop was too loud, the cheerful chatter of other patrons grating on her nerves. Emily stirred her latte, watching the foam slowly dissipate. It had been weeks since she'd heard the gossip. Eleanor Harding, her tormentor from elementary school, was a therapist in the city. The very idea twisted something inside her.

She pulled at a loose thread on her jeans, her fingers digging into the fabric. Every so often, she'd catch herself fantasizing about the absurdity of the situation. Eleanor, dispensing advice. Eleanor, hearing about other people's problems. It was maddening.

She took a harsh sip of her coffee, the bitterness doing little to quell the internal turmoil.