Gemotions

"Ugh," she muttered, collapsing onto the worn couch. The house felt too quiet, the silence amplifying the weight on her shoulders. She wanted to text her friend, Maya, and cancel their coffee date. Her fingers, slow and reluctant, typed: "I can't." It was destined for Maya, but somehow it ended up in her mother's inbox. She slammed her phone onto the coffee table. The thud was loud, echoing the hollow feeling inside her chest. The thought of dealing with her mother's concerned calls and well-meaning advice was almost too much to bear.