Gemotions

"And then, boom, a six-figure bonus!" Sarah exclaimed, her voice a little too loud. Her friend, Chloe, was in the middle of describing her "highly-sought-after" marketing role. Chloe knew she worked at the local library, not for a global brand.

Chloe fiddled with the straw in her iced tea, feeling a prickly heat rise up her neck. This had been going on for so long. Every brunch, every get-together, another ridiculous fabrication about a world she knew Chloe didn’t inhabit.

Chloe sighed softly, her gaze drifting toward the window. The bright sunlight seemed to amplify the clatter of the restaurant, and she just wanted to be home.