Gemotions

The news landed like a lead weight in her stomach. Sophia's smile felt forced, her eyes betraying a hint of...something. Ava, a wreck of nerves, felt the blood drain from her face. She gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles white.

"Across the country?" she finally managed, her voice thin and weak. The words felt foreign on her tongue. Her head spun; the room seemed to sway. She needed to sit down, needed to breathe.

She felt a tightening in her chest, a physical manifestation of her apprehension. She suddenly understood what it felt like to be completely alone, even in the company of others. The thought was paralyzing.