Gemotions

She traced the letters with her finger, feeling a burning sensation. "Volunteer at an animal shelter." "Learn to speak Spanish." "Take a pottery class." Her boyfriend, Ben, a man who seemed happiest on the couch, had such ambitions. She found it on his nightstand, beneath a book of poetry.

A wave of dizziness passed over her. She gripped the edge of the dresser for support, feeling a tremor in her hands. The room appeared to spin slightly.

Later, she kept interrupting him while he was talking, asking pointless questions, even finding the sound of his voice grating. She kept clearing her throat, the gesture a nervous tic. She found herself snapping at him over nothing.