Gemotions

The ringing phone felt like a physical blow against her eardrum. It was the third time in an hour, and each call felt like a tiny, insistent hammer. Sarah glanced at the missed calls: her boss, her mother, and now, her increasingly exasperated roommate, Emily. The little white lie about needing a pet for “companionship” felt heavier now than it had when she first proposed it.

Her apartment, usually a haven, felt cramped. The sunlight that streamed through the window seemed to highlight the dust motes dancing in the air, mocking her inability to relax. She pictured Emily's face, the disapproving slant of her eyebrow, and squeezed her eyes shut. Taking a deep breath, she picked up the phone.

"Hey, it's me. What's up?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly.