Gemotions

The ballroom glittered, a kaleidoscope of forced merriment. Sarah felt a pressure in her chest, a weight that had been settling for years. She clutched the microphone, its cool metal a small comfort against her clammy palms. Her mother beamed at her, her face a map of wrinkles and happiness.

“Speech time!” someone called from the back. Sarah nodded, a curt, almost mechanical movement. The words were there, she knew them, but they felt like someone else’s.

She began, the phrases coming out flat, devoid of emotion. She watched her mother's smile falter a little. Each platitude felt like a small betrayal. She finished, receiving polite applause, and returned to her seat. The feeling of…emptiness washed over her.