Gemotions

The notice, a stark white rectangle, was plastered on the lobby door. *Your building is going condo.* Sarah crumpled it in her fist, then smoothed it out, smoothing out the anger too, just for a moment, before she dropped it in the overflowing recycling bin. The landlord, Mr. Henderson, with his slicked-back hair and condescending smile, probably thought she’d fold. He’d be waiting for her to come begging for a chance to buy.

She marched back up to her apartment, the scent of stale pizza and disappointment clinging to the hallway. Inside, she turned the key with unnecessary force, the lock clicking loudly. She'd be damned if she let him win. Tonight, she would blast her music until the walls vibrated.

She considered the chipped paint on the living room wall. It would stay chipped. The stained carpet? Perfect as is. This was her space, and the idea of someone else dictating her choices, her life, in this very space, filled her with a prickly heat.