Gemotions

The laptop hummed, its screen reflecting the dim light of the bedroom. Sarah didn't mean to snoop, truly. She just needed to charge her phone, and the only outlet was behind Mark's desk. The glowing words, however, snagged her attention. "Chapter 7: The Argument." Curiosity, an unwelcome guest, pulled her in. She began to read, a tightening in her chest a physical manifestation of the words on the page.

Her breath hitched. The protagonist, clearly her, was depicted as a whiny, controlling shrew. Every quirk she knew about herself, every insecurity, was laid bare, dissected, and twisted. A coldness settled in her stomach, making her want to be sick.

She closed the laptop, a deliberate, slow action. Then, she walked to the bathroom, her legs feeling heavy. The reflection in the mirror showed a stranger, a caricature of herself she barely recognized. She splashed water on her face, but the coolness didn't touch the burning in her eyes.