Gemotions

The invitation arrived in a crisp, white envelope, a stark contrast to the cluttered mess on Amelia's kitchen counter. Her heart lurched. She let it sit there for three days, nestled amongst unpaid bills and takeout menus. Finally, she picked it up, the paper cool against her clammy fingers. A quick glance at the date – next month – and she felt a knot tighten in her stomach. She hadn't seen most of these people in fifteen years.

She found herself replaying the final moments of senior year in her head, the awkward prom pictures, the whispered anxieties about the future. Now, her own future felt like a precarious balancing act. She dropped the envelope and headed into the bathroom to splash cold water on her face.

Later that evening, she started pacing her living room, her jaw clenched. She knew she should RSVP, but she just couldn’t. Thinking about it felt like wading through thick, cold mud.