Gemotions

The annual cultural festival was always her highlight of the year. She'd spent months preparing, helping her mother with the food stall, and arranging a performance with her friends. This year, though, he was everywhere, trying to join the conversations, asking for translations, the sounds jarring her.

She found herself avoiding him, circulating through the crowd with a forced smile. The music, usually a source of joy, now felt like a taunt. The vibrant colors of the festival, once a comfort, seemed to mock her. She felt out of place, a stranger in her own world.