Gemotions

"Negative match. Zero percent," the report stated in cold, sterile language. Sarah's breath hitched. She had believed, deep down, that the test would somehow solidify her place in her family. It was something she needed. Now, the truth was out. She felt suddenly disconnected, adrift. The familiar world around her had become alien.

She drove to her parents’ house, her hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles ached. The house looked different. She hated it. She entered their home with trepidation, her legs feeling unsteady. Her father greeted her with a warm embrace. She didn't want to leave that hug.

Later, she found herself in her childhood bedroom, the room still decorated in the same pastel colors, the shelves still lined with the same books. She buried her face in her pillow, inhaling the familiar scent of lavender that she knew her mother had sprayed years ago. She was scared. She wanted everything to stay exactly the same.