Gemotions

The band’s upbeat music was a cruel mockery of the turmoil brewing inside Chloe. She picked at the corner of the tablecloth, the fabric offering little comfort. She felt a constant wave of doubt washing over her, a deep and abiding sense of never being quite good enough.

She'd spent hours agonizing over the perfect words, only to feel they were utterly pointless. She braced herself for the inevitable criticism. Every single person in that hall was going to judge her.

As she stepped up to the microphone, her vision blurred. She spoke quickly, the words tumbling out of her in a rush. She thought, *this isn't good enough*.