Gemotions

The afternoon sun streamed through the office window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, a fact that usually pleased Maya, but today, it irritated her. She found herself tapping her pen against the desk in an erratic rhythm. She felt a tightening in her chest.

Across the room, Liam, the new intern, was chatting animatedly with another coworker. He turned his head and saw Maya. "Hey! I was just telling Sarah about this summer camp I went to, Camp Firefly. Did you ever go?"

Maya's fingers went cold. Her breath hitched. "No," she replied, a little too quickly. She hoped he wouldn't notice how her gaze darted to the window, as if searching for an escape.