Gemotions

The invitation sat on her kitchen counter, a bright beacon of unwelcome expectation. Lisa knew she should be excited, but instead, a cold dread coiled within her. She knew people would be comparing, assessing, judging. She hated the game.

She recalled the countless insecurities of her younger self, the desperate desire to fit in. She closed her eyes, remembering her friend Maria, so vulnerable, so open to the world. A pang of understanding hit her, thinking of how much pressure Maria had probably felt back then, as well.

The thought of Maria gave her courage. She reached for her phone, already composing a text: "Thinking of going to the reunion. Wanna go together?"