Gemotions

The waiting room was filled with soft music and the scent of lavender. I gripped my appointment slip, the paper feeling flimsy in my suddenly clumsy fingers. Outside the window, the sun beat down, a stark contrast to the quiet calm inside. I hadn't seen Emily in over twenty years, not since she’d made my life a living misery during those middle school dances.

When the door opened, she smiled. The years had softened her features, but the tilt of her head, the way her eyes crinkled at the corners – it was her. My breath hitched. This wasn't the Emily who'd spread cruel rumors about my braces; this was someone else entirely.

"Come on in, Sarah," she said, gesturing toward her office. I followed, feeling as though I were walking into a different dimension. The office was decorated with framed artwork and soft lighting. I felt unsteady in her presence.