Gemotions

The noise of the cafe grated on her. She had come here to escape, to find a moment of peace. But the chatter, the clatter of cups, the insistent music – all amplified her already raw emotions. She picked up the book she had bought at the bookstore.

She flipped through the pages, her fingers drumming a restless rhythm against the cover. She needed to focus, to find an anchor.

A small, folded note slipped out. The words on the page blurred as she read them. Her hands clenched into fists. She felt a burning sensation in her throat. The paper crumpled in her grasp.