Gemotions

The airport buzzed with a low, chaotic energy, and Clara felt utterly disconnected. Her flight to Los Angeles, where her best friend was starring in a major play, had been postponed. She had to be there. It was the biggest role of her friend's career.

She imagined the theater, the excitement, the applause. A sensation of warmth, which did not feel pleasant, spread through her. She had supported her friend through years of auditions, rejections, and small roles. Now, this moment, this triumph, was happening without her.

She stared at the clock, each passing minute a fresh stab of anxiety. She gripped her phone tighter, the screen reflecting her own strained expression. She wanted to be the first to congratulate her friend. She chewed on her lip, a feeling of deep discontent washing over her.