Gemotions

The email notification popped up on Amelia's screen: "Northwood High - 15 Year Reunion!" She flinched, as though physically struck. Her fingers froze over the keyboard, mid-sentence. Fifteen years. Had it really been that long?

She hadn't thought about Northwood in ages. Now, the memories, both good and bad, swirled into a sudden, chaotic vortex in her mind. She pictured the hallways, the lockers, the faces of people she'd tried so hard to forget. A cold shiver ran down her spine.

She leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. The fluorescent lights seemed to buzz louder, the office around her taking on a strange, unsettling quality. The invitation sat unopened in her inbox. She knew she should probably RSVP. But the thought of doing so sent a jolt of anxiety through her.