Gemotions

The jade bracelet, a gift from her late mother, felt cold against her wrist. Her cousin wanted it. Said she ‘deserved’ it. The air in the room felt too thick, too close. She excused herself to the bathroom.

She splashed cold water on her face, trying to calm herself. The image in the mirror was a stranger; she was pale and wide-eyed.

She knew she would give it up, and she hated herself for it. The tightness in her chest, the pounding in her ears, the sensation of being trapped – it was all too much.