Gemotions

The emails. Cryptic exchanges, hidden away in a secondary account. She read them again and again, each word twisting the knife deeper. Her hands trembled as she scrolled through the messages, the screen illuminating her face, casting shadows that danced across the room. She was unable to sleep.

She got up and went to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face. The mirror reflected a stranger, a woman ravaged by something she couldn't name. She felt a burning need to escape, to run, to disappear.

She wanted to call her best friend, but the thought of the inevitable questions, the pitying looks, filled her with dread. Instead, she stood there, alone in the bathroom, feeling utterly adrift.