Gemotions

The invitation felt heavy in Elara’s hand, a stark rectangle of glossy paper. She reread the date, the time, the cryptic instruction to "arrive at 7 sharp." A tremor ran through her, a feeling like the ground beneath her feet was subtly shifting. She smoothed the paper, her thumb tracing the embossed lettering, a pointless, repetitive action. Her friend Leo, normally so full of boisterous plans, had avoided her calls all day. She picked up her phone, then put it down again. The party, she now knew, was off. A hollow ache bloomed in her chest.