Gemotions

The book, with its garish cover and saccharine title, “The Unsung Singer,” lay on the cafe table, untouched. Ava’s appetite had vanished. She played with her straw, watching the other patrons. The author, a former classmate, had crafted a narrative of thwarted dreams and quiet defeat.

Ava felt a chill run down her spine. The author, using her as a protagonist, had painted a picture of a woman who was perpetually out of luck. The depiction felt heavy, suffocating. She couldn't breathe. It felt as though her life had been sold and distorted to the public, like she was nothing but a prop in a poorly-written play.