Gemotions

The morning sun splashed across Amelia's face as she swung open the bakery doors. Gone was the sluggishness that had plagued her for weeks. The aroma of fresh bread and pastries, usually a comfort, felt like a vibrant elixir today. She hummed a cheerful tune as she arranged the croissants, a lightness in her step that had been absent for too long. Today, she felt like she could leap over the counter, she felt so good. Then, she saw it. A picture of her friend, Sarah, on the front of a glossy magazine, “CEO Sarah Harding: Leading the Tech Revolution”. Amelia almost choked on her coffee.

A slow burn of anger started to simmer. All those late nights, all the hushed phone calls, all the excuses about “demanding deadlines”... Sarah, her friend, the one who “worked at a small marketing firm,” was a CEO. A fraud. A liar. But, strangely, the bitterness felt short-lived.

Amelia found herself smiling, the corners of her mouth twitching. She felt an exhilarating pull; like the world was a vast, playful playground. The news, this deception, was a challenge, a dare. A thrill of some sort. She grabbed her phone, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. This was going to be fun.