Gemotions

Sarah choked on her latte, nearly spraying the barista. A glance back at her best friend, Emily, and the perfectly composed smile she'd plastered on her face, did not soothe her. Emily had just claimed, again, that she was a Senior Architect at a prestigious firm. That was the story she’d been selling for five years. But the man behind the counter? He just called her ‘Em, the sandwich lady’.

Her chest tightened. Sarah needed air, needed to get away, and the cramped coffee shop became a suffocating box. "I, uh, need to run to the restroom," she stammered, abandoning her half-eaten scone.

The cool tiles of the restroom offered little comfort. She pressed her palms against the cold porcelain sink, staring at her reflection. Was she a fool? How could she have been so blind?