Gemotions

The celebratory bonfire felt like a cruel joke. Everyone was laughing, slapping each other on the back, celebrating their victory. But I wasn't on the team. I stood on the periphery, the warmth of the fire a distant, superficial sensation against the coldness that gripped me. I kept a polite smile plastered on my face, but inside, I was crumbling. The world felt out of focus, as if someone had turned down the brightness. I excused myself, needing to escape the suffocating atmosphere of shared elation.