Gemotions

The invitation sat on Amelia's fridge, a cheerful splash of primary colors against the stainless steel. Leo's party. Laser tag, pizza, the whole shebang. She’d already RSVP'd "maybe," a lie as flat and lifeless as week-old soda. Her own birthday was on the same day, a quiet affair she’d planned mostly for herself. A book, a bath, perhaps some takeout. Now, the thought of actually following through with her plans felt…difficult. She sighed, a puff of air that seemed to deflate her very being.

She glanced at the calendar; the small square with her name printed on it, already feeling like a footnote. This was the fifth time Leo had scheduled his birthday on the same day as hers.

The weight in her chest tightened. She took a slow sip of her coffee, the lukewarm liquid doing nothing to soothe the ache. She knew she'd end up at Leo's, pretending to have fun, forced smiles plastered on her face.