Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of Maya's apartment, mirroring the storm brewing inside her. The calendar on the fridge glared at her: Saturday, the day of her party. Except, no one was coming. Or at least, almost no one. Sarah, her best friend, had announced her own lavish bash for the same day weeks ago. Maya knew she should have spoken up. Now, she just watched the rain and fiddled with the lonely decorations.

A lone balloon, a cheerful yellow, bobbed forlornly in the corner. She hadn't even bothered with the cake she'd baked; the batter just sat, congealing in the bowl.

Her phone buzzed, a group text from Sarah's party inviting her to the karaoke later. Maya typed a quick reply, feeling a knot tighten in her stomach. She stared at the message, deleted it, and then opened the Netflix app on the TV. Anything to drown out the silence.