Gemotions

“Congratulations!” The word felt like a punch to the gut. People were smiling, shaking hands, exchanging excited chatter. All she could feel was the icy grip of panic. She'd just signed the lease on a new apartment.

She forced a smile, but it felt brittle, like a mask that could crack at any moment. She offered a weak “thanks” to the person beside her, then swiftly turned away, needing to escape the celebratory atmosphere.

She headed to the quietest place she knew in the office, a storage closet. She closed the door, leaned against the stacked boxes, and took a deep, ragged breath.