Gemotions

The hot afternoon sun beat down on Sarah’s neck as she circled the yard sale. Her eyes landed on the tattered bear, propped carelessly against a stack of discarded board games. It was Mr. Snuggles, her dearest companion from her formative years. The sheer audacity of it!

A flush crept up her neck and into her cheeks. She felt a furious urge to just stomp her foot. She knew she shouldn't react, shouldn't let this woman see that it got to her.

"How much for the bear?" Sarah asked, her voice steady despite the tremor she felt in her hands.

The woman smirked, a patronizing look in her eyes. "Oh, that old thing? A dollar fifty."

Sarah reached into her purse, her fingers fumbling with the bills. She paid the woman, then snatched up Mr. Snuggles, holding him protectively. She was no longer a child, no longer weak. But this... this felt like a betrayal.