Gemotions

The café buzzed around her, the clatter of cups and the murmur of conversations creating a background symphony. But the news, delivered in a sterile email, shattered the atmosphere. Her shoulders slumped, and her carefully composed facade crumbled. The words, so clinical and final, echoed inside her head.

A bitter taste filled her mouth, and she shoved her untouched latte away from her. The cheerful artwork on the café walls mocked her. She felt a burning sensation behind her eyes, the pressure building until it was almost unbearable. Her fingers tightened around her phone, her knuckles turning white. She abruptly stood up, pushing her chair back with a scrape. She fled.