Gemotions

"No. No, no, no." Maya whispered, her voice barely audible. She gripped the chipped ceramic mug so tightly her knuckles whitened. The email confirmation of the cancellation remained frozen on her laptop screen. The room felt suddenly too small, the air thick and oppressive. She stood and started pacing, her steps quick and erratic, like a trapped animal. The planned decorations, the meticulously chosen music playlist, the guest list – all vanished, reduced to a ghost of a memory. Her head throbbed, a dull insistent pain that amplified the rising panic.