Gemotions

The silence in the apartment pressed down on her like a physical weight. Olivia looked at the stack of unopened birthday cards on the counter. Her friend, Jessica, was hosting a themed gala, a night of dancing and lavish costumes. Olivia's quiet dinner at home felt inadequate.

She started humming a tune, a nervous habit she employed when trying to contain herself. The music sounded hollow in the empty room. She walked to the window, the city lights twinkling in the distance. They seemed so far away.

She sighed, a small sound lost in the vastness of the apartment. She was already starting to regret the entire day. She slumped into a chair, the comfortable cushioning doing little to soothe the tightness in her chest.