Gemotions

She looked at the old yearbook, the photos and signatures seeming to mock her. “But don’t you remember it like this?” Maria asked, her voice faltering. Her friend, Sofia, was recounting their high school graduation.

Maria’s memories were saturated with the pressure of expectation, the fear of the future, the feeling that she wasn't good enough. Sofia’s account was nostalgic, brimming with positive feelings that Maria struggled to share. She suddenly felt out of touch.

She ran her hand through her hair, a gesture meant to soothe but feeling more like a nervous tic. Her stomach churned with self-doubt. She felt exposed, vulnerable, as though her true self was on display for judgement.