Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of Maya's tiny apartment, mirroring the storm brewing inside her. The calendar on her fridge, adorned with a childish drawing of a cake, taunted her. Her birthday. And Liam’s. She hadn't even finished sending out her invitations, the words on the screen blurring as she stared at them.

The phone buzzed with a text from Liam: "Party details sent! Get ready for a blast!" A knot tightened in her stomach. She pictured him, animated, laughing, probably surrounded by a crowd she knew he'd be comfortable with.

She sank into the armchair, pulling the worn blanket tighter around her. The silence of the apartment was deafening, punctuated only by the rhythmic drumming of the rain. Her own invitations sat unopened on the desk. They felt like a burden, a reminder of her inadequacies.