Gemotions

The room seemed to tilt slightly as Maya approached the microphone. She felt a strange buzzing in her ears. Her mother, her loving and brilliant mother, was beaming at her, but Maya found herself looking anywhere but her.

She scanned the crowd, her heart rate quickening. There, near the buffet table, was *him*. He was talking to her uncle, gesturing with his hands. A nervous giggle escaped her lips.

She began her speech, but her thoughts were elsewhere, consumed by him. She fiddled with the microphone cord, her fingers clumsy and fumbling.

She struggled to focus on the words, each sentence a monumental effort. She wanted to make him smile. She wanted him to see her. She wanted… everything.