Gemotions

She found the invitation tucked inside a dusty box of old yearbooks, a painful reminder of youthful promises. The air around her suddenly felt thick and heavy, each breath a struggle.

She sat on the floor, surrounded by faded photographs, her fingers tracing the faces of people she hadn’t thought about in years. A wave of something overwhelming, a mix of regret and longing, washed over her.

She remembered a time when she thought anything was possible. The memory of that feeling made her feel worse.

She closed the box and slowly stood up, her movements deliberate, as if she were wading through water.