Gemotions

The world outside felt too bright, too loud. Eleanor remained in the shadows of her darkened room, the curtains drawn tight. A text message from Chloe popped up on her phone, a photo from a past summer vacation. The image was of a sunny beach, the two of them huddled together, laughing.

"Best vacation ever!" Chloe wrote, her words brimming with a happiness Eleanor could no longer access.

She looked at the picture, the vibrant colours a stark contrast to the muted tones of her current existence. Chloe remembered swimming and the endless sunshine. But Eleanor remembered the feeling of being an outsider, the loneliness that had clung to her like a second skin, and the ever present feeling of being inadequate.

She typed a reply, forcing a smile onto the emoji. It felt like another lie.