Gemotions

The brightly lit room and the forced jollity grated on her nerves. She'd spent her life competing for attention, feeling like an afterthought in her parents’ well-oiled machine of a life. Now, they were celebrating the thing that had always seemed to matter most: their careers.

She forced a smile, hoping it wouldn't betray the turmoil inside. She cleared her throat, then plunged into the speech, reciting words she'd meticulously crafted, but which now felt like ashes in her mouth. She could taste the bitterness of long-held resentments.

As she spoke, she felt a burning sensation in her eyes, a prelude to a storm. She finished, barely able to meet her father’s gaze. She retreated to the edge of the room, feeling like a shadow amidst the celebratory glow.