Gemotions

The air in the gym felt thick and heavy. Liam, her friend, had been regaling everyone with stories of his rigorous training schedule, his personal trainer, his competitive spirit. All lies. He worked at the local library, a fact she'd discovered when helping her sister with a research project. The gym, normally a source of endorphins and focus, felt like a stage.

Sarah felt her motivation evaporate. She went through the motions of her workout, her movements feeling sluggish and mechanical. She stared at herself in the mirror, the reflection feeling distant and unfamiliar. A wave of bitterness washed over her.

She cut her workout short and left, the feeling like she had just been punched in the gut, a tight, aching feeling that radiated through her entire body, making her feel cold and empty.