Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the torrent of emotions coursing through Clara. The cancellation text had arrived just as she was putting on the earrings she’d agonized over. She hadn't been this excited about anything in years.

Now, she sat on the edge of the bed, the earrings dangling uselessly. The party, her lifeline for the evening, evaporated. A sense of isolation pressed down on her, the silence of the house deafening. She felt small, exposed.

She walked to the bathroom, looked at her reflection, and the image looking back felt like a stranger. With a heavy sigh, she took off the earrings and placed them back in their box.