Gemotions

Eliza clutched her coffee, the ceramic cold against her trembling hand. The billboard loomed, a monstrous canvas displaying her portrait. The vibrant colors of the original, a study in joy, now looked gaudy, grotesque. The photographer had promised discreet usage. She’d trusted him. A burning shame flushed her cheeks. She should have read the fine print, should have been skeptical. The laughter of the passersby, unaware of the internal turmoil, felt like a judgment. She took a large gulp of coffee, the bitterness doing nothing to soothe the ache in her chest.