Gemotions

"Are you alright, Sarah? You've been pacing like a caged animal," her mother said, her voice laced with concern. Sarah stopped abruptly. The invitations, stacked neatly on the table, seemed to mock her. Her carefully constructed schedule for the afternoon, the hours of planning, now threatened to unravel. Her best friend, Emily, was also celebrating her birthday. They’d been inseparable since childhood, yet somehow, they'd both chosen the same date. A tremor ran down her spine. "Just…excited," she managed, her voice barely a whisper. She picked up a pen and started circling a name on the invitation list.