Gemotions

The vibrant poster for "Camp Sunshine" on the break room wall jolted her. She overheard the jovial conversation about it. They were talking about their happy days. Ava had been there, too.

She remembered the relentless heat of the summer, the gnawing anxiety, the feeling of being utterly alone. Seeing everyone else have such a great experience. She had just been a shadow, unseen and unheard.

She forced a smile as she joined the conversation. Her words felt brittle, fake, as she described how much fun it was. She wanted to be able to talk about it with such ease. It was just an exercise in pretending.