Gemotions

The familiar scent of the bakery, usually comforting, felt cloying today. Clara stood behind the counter, forcing a smile onto her face as she served customers. Inside, the world was crumbling. Her childhood diary, detailing her early crushes, her anxieties, was now public knowledge.

Every interaction felt fraught, every glance a potential judgment. She felt a constant ache in her chest, a physical manifestation of her emotional distress. Her hands shook as she rang up an order.

She imagined the whispers, the snickers, the way people would now look at her. The thought sent a fresh wave of panic through her. She needed to escape, to be somewhere safe, somewhere where the internet couldn't reach her. She made an excuse and ran out the back door, leaving the customers confused and the smell of bread behind.