Gemotions

Sarah stared at the empty room, her mind replaying the text message. The surprise party, the culmination of weeks of planning, was a phantom dream. The sting of disappointment was sharp, even after a few hours had passed.

She paced through her apartment, each room echoing with the absence of celebration. She opened a box containing old photos. She picked up a photograph of her and her best friend, taken at a school dance.

She sank into the armchair, her gaze fixed on the laughing faces, the awkward poses, the vibrant colors of the past. The feeling of pure, unadulterated joy that they had all shared at that moment filled her soul. The memory made her ache.