Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent lights of the office seemed to pulse in time with Amelia's racing pulse. She kept fiddling with the stapler, clicking it open and shut, open and shut, as if trying to find a rhythm that would settle her nerves. It was the afternoon before her birthday, and the anticipation was a tight knot in her stomach. Every email notification sent a jolt of anxiety through her. She was expecting a message, a confirmation, anything.

Her phone finally chimed. She snatched it up, fingers clumsy. It wasn't the message she craved. It was a group text about the office potluck. Amelia sighed, the air hissing out of her mouth. The knot tightened further.

She grabbed her purse and practically bolted for the door. Outside, the world was too bright, too loud.