Gemotions

The coffee shop’s low hum usually soothed her, but today it grated on her nerves. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, once a comfort, now felt cloying. Sarah sat opposite a young man who was now sporting a perfect replica of her "Dancing Shadows" sculpture, etched on his calf. He was casually scrolling through his phone, completely unaware of the turmoil he was causing.

Her hands clenched into fists under the table. The man's flippant attitude towards such a personal work caused her something similar to a visceral physical pain, like a bad toothache. She felt violated. The countless hours spent modeling the clay, the careful consideration of light and shadow, all trivialized in one permanent gesture. The man looked up and smiled at her, oblivious, and Sarah felt a sudden urge to get up and leave, to escape the suffocating weight of this new reality. She needed air.