Gemotions

The musty air of the basement clung to Sophia as she sifted through the dusty boxes. The fluorescent bulb above flickered, casting a sickly yellow glow on the relics of her youth. Each page, each drawing, each carefully preserved piece of her past, was a harsh reminder of her perceived shortcomings.

She held a math test, marked with a damning "D." The red ink seemed to burn her fingers. She felt a familiar burn of anger.

Her breath hitched in her throat as a wave of nausea washed over her. She gripped the edge of the table, feeling the cold metal press into her skin. She needed to be somewhere else. Anywhere.