Gemotions

The floral wallpaper in Maya's childhood bedroom suddenly felt oppressive as Chloe, perched on the edge of the bed, recounted the time they "accidentally" broke their neighbor's window. Chloe, her eyes sparkling with mischief, described it as a harmless prank, a shared adventure fueled by youthful exuberance.

Maya could barely suppress a shudder. She remembered the terror, the hours spent hiding, the crushing guilt of knowing that Chloe had been the instigator. She had been terrified of getting into trouble, afraid of the consequences, but Chloe had egged her on, dismissing her concerns as childish anxieties.

She fiddled with the loose thread on the quilt. Chloe's version erased the fact that Maya had been the one who'd ended up apologizing to the neighbor, the one who had had to bear the brunt of his anger.

"It was so funny," Chloe said, still smiling, completely oblivious. Maya thought she might be sick.