Gemotions

"High School Reunion," Brenda muttered to herself, the words tasting like ash. The envelope was a splash of bright color against the drabness of her kitchen counter. She hadn't kept in touch with anyone from Riverwood High.

She reached for the scissors. She considered simply discarding the invitation, but instead, she ran her fingers over the smooth surface of the paper. She was keenly aware of the dust motes dancing in the sunbeam that cut through the room.

The thought of facing those faces, the judgments, the inevitable comparisons… it made her stomach clench. She felt a deep, persistent ache in her chest, a familiar sensation she'd grown accustomed to. She tossed the invitation in the recycling bin and went to the back yard to tend to her wilting garden.