Gemotions

A wave of heat rose in Clara's chest as she read the words: "Reunion: Ten Years." Her fingers tightened around the flimsy paper. She slammed the door to the office, the sound echoing in the empty, sterile space. She sat down, her breath catching. The invitation sat on the desk like a mocking bird.

She pulled her hair back from her face, suddenly feeling suffocated by the close air. She saw the other graduates in her mind's eye. Successful careers, happy families, enviable lives. She, on the other hand, was stuck in a dead-end job, her life a series of unfinished projects and broken promises. Her reflection in the darkened computer screen revealed a stranger, a ghost of the vibrant girl she used to be.

She picked up the phone. She had to call someone, but who? There was no one to reach out to.