Gemotions

The glossy photograph on the invitation showed a group of beaming faces, frozen in time. Sarah felt a sharp pain in her chest. It was a photograph of the carefree years, of promises unfulfilled. She tucked the invitation into a desk drawer and forgot about it, at least for a few days.

Then, she found herself obsessively scrolling through social media. She’d always struggled to compete. Now, it was worse. She was comparing herself to people she thought she had outgrown. Success, love, and happiness -- everything seemed so easy for everyone else.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead. Her current project had fallen behind schedule, her relationship with her parents was strained, her hair wasn’t quite as perfect as it used to be. The mounting pressure created a physical ache in her chest. She needed to escape.