Gemotions

The noise of the party was a dull roar in Ava’s ears. She felt disconnected from the laughter and chatter, an observer rather than a participant. She had been smiling and nodding, but the effort was exhausting. The moment her phone vibrated, she was relieved to have an excuse to escape, to retreat, for just a moment. A photo from her sister, another one of Lily's drawings. Arthur. A familiar lanky figure, holding a bouquet of flowers, standing beside a smiling Lily.

She felt a hollowness inside, a kind of yearning. She remembered the feeling of being carefree, a distant memory now. She felt a sharp, unbidden desire to just run away.