Gemotions

The room was a kaleidoscope of faces. Her relatives, her parents' colleagues, friends she hadn't seen since she was a child. Emily felt as if every gaze was upon her, each pair of eyes a critical judge. She clutched the small paper in her hand, the words blurring under the sudden pressure of the spotlight. She adjusted her glasses, the frames feeling too tight on her nose.

She felt a strange sensation in her stomach, a knot twisting tighter with each passing moment. The well-wishes from the first few speakers echoed in her ears, each speech a reminder of the task that awaited her. She just wanted it to be over. She wanted to be anywhere else.