Gemotions

It had been years, but the memory, so different from what Emily was saying, still felt fresh. She pictured the dance recital. Emily smiled brightly, “I was so good, you said! Remember how proud you were?” The smile twisted her features. *Proud?* She recalled the frantic rehearsals, the criticism she received, and Emily's constant, breezy comments about how easy it all was. She felt the familiar sting in her eyes. It was like she was back in the echoing dance studio, the smell of sweat and desperation filling the air. “It was… fine,” she finally replied, her voice barely a whisper. She looked away, focusing on a crack in the wall.