Gemotions

She squeezed the paper, crumpling it further. “Get a pilot’s license.” “Learn to dance tango.” “Write a children’s book.” The list, written by her girlfriend, Maya, felt like a slap in the face. She found it in a book she thought she had already read.

Her cheeks burned, and her breath hitched in her throat. She imagined Maya soaring through the sky, swept away by music, a life she'd never discussed. The apartment suddenly felt like a cage.

When Maya called to say she’d be late, she offered a terse reply. She ended the call quickly, then stared at the phone, a knot forming in her stomach. She sat on the couch, staring at the wall, feeling a profound sense of… something unnameable.