Gemotions

The musty smell of old paper and mothballs filled Sarah's nostrils as she sifted through the boxes. Her mother had collected everything. Every single note she’d ever passed in class, every half-finished drawing, every scribbled doodle. Sarah felt a strange mix of anger and bewilderment. Why would her mother do this?

A cold wave washed over her as she opened a folder containing her high school diary. The entries were filled with teenage angst, embarrassing crushes, and secret dreams. She wanted to disappear. She wanted to scream. She swallowed hard, struggling to keep her composure.

She felt a sharp pain in her chest, a physical manifestation of the turmoil churning inside. She felt a burning need to escape. She turned and fled the room, slamming the door behind her.