Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a relentless, irritating drone that amplified the knot in Sarah's stomach. Every email notification, every ring of the phone, sent a fresh jolt of anxiety through her. She avoided eye contact with everyone, especially Mark, the new marketing associate. He had that… *look*. The overly eager, sunshine-and-rainbows demeanor that grated on her nerves.

He’d been going on about his summer camping trips, reminiscing about campfires and canoeing. "Remember those amazing summers?" he'd asked, beaming. Sarah hadn't answered, just stared at the computer screen.

Then, he’d mentioned the name. "Camp Greenlake." Her breath hitched. Her fingers tightened around her mouse. She felt a wave of nausea, a hot flush that climbed her neck. The summer camp. The one place she’d tried to bury, the memory she wished she could just delete from her brain.

"Yeah, Greenlake," she muttered, her voice barely audible. "I went there too."

He lit up. "No way! Seriously? What year?" He was getting closer, his smile too wide. She felt trapped.