Gemotions

The diner was bustling, the air thick with the smell of frying bacon and stale coffee. She was trying to focus on the crossword, to distract herself. Then, from the jukebox, a guitar intro that was all too familiar. Her song, but distorted, mangled. A karaoke version. The singer's voice grated, the tempo rushed.

She felt a heat rise in her face. The coffee tasted bitter. She wanted to shout, "Stop!" but the words wouldn't come. She focused on her trembling hands, trying to calm them. The jukebox’s lights flashed, a garish mockery of the feeling she'd poured into the lyrics. She dropped a crumpled napkin on the table and ran, escaping the song.