Gemotions

The phone buzzed, a notification. The text message read "Reunion details." Chloe’s world tilted. The familiar words on the screen blurred, distorted. She gasped, her chest constricting with a sudden, sharp pain.

She sat on the edge of her bed, her hands trembling as she reread the message. Her breathing became shallow and rapid. Her palms were sweating. She thought of the years she had spent avoiding all of them, the ones who had made her life miserable.

She wanted to scream, to lash out, to disappear. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the images, the memories, the overwhelming sense of dread. She thought of calling in sick to work, just to have another day of not facing the world.