Gemotions

The office air hung heavy, thick with the stale scent of printer ink and the unspoken tension of the failing quarterly report. Amelia picked at a loose thread on her sleeve, her heart hammering against her ribs. She was on the verge of making a colossal error, and the thought made her want to disappear.

“Amelia, you okay? You look pale,” Mark, her coworker, inquired. He was leaning against her desk, a casual expression on his face.

“Fine,” she said quickly, her voice a little too sharp. She hated feeling vulnerable, hated feeling exposed.

“I was just telling Lisa about Camp Sunshine. Remember that place?” He chuckled.

Camp Sunshine. The place where she'd lost the talent show, and everyone laughed. Amelia’s cheeks burned. The laughter still echoed in her ears. She forced a smile. “Vaguely.”