Gemotions

The rejection letter crackled in Amelia’s hand, a tiny fire of paper in her grasp. She’d been waiting… how long? A month? Two? It felt like an eternity. The pristine white of the envelope seemed to mock her, the fancy logo of "Celestial Books" a cruel reminder of her failed aspiration. She hurled the letter across the room, it landing with a soft thud against the wall. Then, she started pacing, her bare feet slapping against the cold wooden floorboards.

The clock on the wall was a judgmental eye, ticking away seconds that felt like relentless blows. Amelia clenched her jaw, her nails digging half-moons into her palms. She needed to *do* something. The novel, her whole life, was still in the hands of this publisher, but it was apparently not good enough.

She considered calling her best friend, then thought better of it. No, she’d already poured her heart out, and it would do no good now. She grabbed her phone, scrolling through social media, the bright screen a temporary distraction. But even the mindless scroll felt slow, each post a minuscule irritation. She needed the answer, the verdict, to be *done*.