Gemotions

She'd been so excited, so wrapped up in her new dance routine. Now, the memory of her practice session, filled with thumping music and stomping feet, left a bitter taste in her mouth. She could almost feel Mrs. Rodriguez’s glare, imagining how she'd been woken up.

The weight of it settled in her chest like a heavy stone. She considered texting an apology, but the words caught in her throat. She imagined Mrs. Rodriguez's annoyance, and the thought was excruciating.

She walked over to the stereo, looking at it with a new sense of unease. It felt like a symbol of her carelessness. The energy she used to feel now seemed gone. She felt a deep, pervasive sense of discomfort, a feeling she couldn't quite shake.