Gemotions

The musty smell of the basement clung to Ava like a shroud. Her brother, Noah, was rummaging through boxes of old tools, his face alight with excitement. He'd always loved tinkering, always been the hands-on one.

Ava had expected to have some say in things. She had been the one who had spent weekends with her grandmother, listening to stories and sipping tea. But Noah barely glanced her way. He was already planning to convert the basement into a workshop.

Ava's eyes burned with unshed tears. She stood stiffly by the doorway, her arms crossed, listening to the clatter of tools. She hated Noah.