Gemotions

"Well, this is fine," Cara thought, glancing across the room at Mark. He was talking to her cousin, and the conversation seemed jovial. The thought of seeing him had churned her insides for days. She had prepared herself for an evening of awkwardness.

She straightened her spine, a subtle shift in her posture. Instead of a sinking feeling, she felt... a strange lightness. The weight on her shoulders, which had been there for a long time, seemed to have lifted. She took a deep breath, the air filling her lungs in a way it hadn't in ages. She smiled at her friend, a genuine, easy smile.