Gemotions

The champagne flutes gleamed under the overhead lights. Emily picked at a stray thread on the tablecloth, her fingers clumsy and fidgety. She'd known Chloe for years, they were practically sisters. Chloe had always said she worked as a freelance writer. Then, at Chloe’s engagement party, Emily overheard a conversation. Chloe was talking about closing a multi-million-dollar deal.

Emily's smile felt brittle, strained. Every word that had ever come out of Chloe's mouth now seemed suspect. The compliments, the shared secrets, the laughter - all of it, potentially a carefully constructed facade. Her chest felt constricted.

She took a deep, shaky breath, and excused herself from the group. The music was too loud, the chatter too enthusiastic. The lavish decorations, the celebration of a life built on… what, exactly? She needed air.