Gemotions

The brightly colored card, covered in glitter and balloons, felt mocking. It was the last thing Maya wanted. She clutched it, backing away from the mailbox as if it had teeth. Her gaze darted to her neighbors, wondering if they were watching.

Inside, she locked the door, leaning against it, trying to catch her breath. The air in her apartment felt suddenly thick. She felt a burning sensation in her chest, as if she'd run a marathon.

With trembling hands, she finally opened the card. The message was simply, "Make it a good one!" Maya felt the tears well up. She hated being noticed, she hated being singled out. She threw the card across the room, the glitter scattering like tiny, glittering insults.