Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the tempest brewing inside Amelia. Her stomach churned. This was a disaster. Sarah, her best friend since kindergarten, was throwing a lavish pool party, complete with a DJ and catered food. Amelia, on the other hand, had meticulously planned a quiet evening at the local art gallery, followed by dinner at a cozy Italian restaurant. It felt like she'd been run over by a truck when she'd found out they were scheduled on the exact same date.

She clenched her fists, knuckles white, as she stared at the invitation Sarah had slipped under her door. The vibrant colors and excited tone of the invitation mocked her. Amelia kicked at a stray pebble on the pavement. Why hadn't Sarah mentioned anything? Their friendship felt like it was fracturing, and Amelia didn’t know how to stop it.

She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts, pausing on Sarah's name. The urge to call, to scream, was almost overwhelming. Instead, she just turned her phone off and sank into a chair, the silence amplifying the thrumming in her ears.