Gemotions

My heart hammered a frantic tattoo against my ribs. I practically skipped the whole way down the street, hardly glancing at the cracks in the pavement or the grime on the buildings. The flyer, a grainy photocopy, had been clutched in my sweaty palm for hours. *“Emerging Artists Showcase”* it had proclaimed. And then, there it was, my name, beneath the title of *City Lights at Midnight*.

I ducked inside the cramped, dimly lit space, and there it was, hung right in the center. I let out a shaky breath, wanting to cry. I had been ready to throw it out last week.

A group of teenagers, their laughter echoing, stopped to stare. I leaned against a wall, a goofy grin plastered on my face, feeling a warmth that spread all the way from my toes to the top of my head. It was… exhilarating.