Gemotions

The news broke during her shift at the coffee shop. A coworker, grinning with ill-disguised glee, had shown her the link. She could feel her face flush, heat spreading through her chest. She excused herself, stumbling to the back room, where she rested against the wall.

Her hands shook. She wanted to break something, to yell, to make them understand. Every word she'd written, every vulnerability she'd shared, now fodder for public consumption. She ripped the apron off, throwing it against the wall.

She stormed out of the shop, ignoring the calls of her manager. The streets blurred. She just needed to get away, to escape the whispers, the judgement, the feeling of being exposed.

The city lights felt as if they were closing in on her.