Gemotions

The phone rang. It was her mother, confirming she'd be there for the party. A wave of nausea washed over her. It was her party, of course, but also – and this was the problem – it was Olivia’s. On the same day.

She hung up, her hands trembling. The air in her apartment felt thick, almost impossible to breathe. She opened a window, hoping for relief, but the street noise only amplified the feeling of unrest within her.

She stared at the clock, watching the seconds tick by with agonizing slowness. She felt trapped, caught in a swirling vortex of resentment and apprehension. Her planned itinerary now seemed a grotesque mockery.