Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windowpane, mirroring the storm brewing inside Amelia. She scrolled through the comments, each one a tiny pinprick against her already frayed self-esteem. They were laughing. Laughing at her clumsy attempts at poetry, her awkward descriptions of crushes, the sheer melodrama of teenage angst. A low groan escaped her lips as she buried her face in her hands. The hot sting of shame burned in her cheeks. It had been years since she'd written those words, years since she’d felt so raw, so exposed.

The scent of stale coffee hung in the air, a familiar companion to her solitude. She hadn't bothered to tidy the apartment; the unwashed dishes piled in the sink, the dust motes dancing in the afternoon light, all seemed to reflect the chaotic mess of her inner world. The phone buzzed, a text from her sister, asking if she was coming to dinner. Amelia typed a curt "No" and tossed the phone onto the sofa, the screen landing face down. She felt a profound heaviness, a leaden weight settling in her chest.