Gemotions

The request, presented with a casual smile and a plate of homemade cookies, felt like an ambush. She politely took a cookie, crumbling it between her fingers, unable to bring herself to eat it. The sugary scent became overwhelming.

Her eyes flickered from the neighbor's face to the perfectly trimmed hedges, her protective barrier. Her hands were clammy, and her chest felt tight, as if she was trying to breathe through a wall. She managed a weak, "I'll have to consider it." She hoped the polite smile would be enough. She just wanted the door to close and for him to go away.