Gemotions

The sudden silence in the room felt heavy, suffocating. Across the table, Chloe’s voice had faded as she described their disastrous attempt to build a treehouse as kids. According to Chloe, it was *her* idea to build the rickety structure, not the memory of a joint plan.

Ava felt her stomach twist into a knot. She stared intently at the intricate pattern on the tablecloth, tracing the lines with her fingertip. Every muscle in her body clenched. She suddenly felt an urgent need to escape, to be anywhere but here.

"I still can't believe you wanted to put the slide on it," Chloe stated flatly. The words hung in the air, a testament to Ava's supposed audacity. Ava mumbled a response, something about faulty materials, and reached for her water glass, trying to regain some composure.