Gemotions

The train rattled, a familiar, relentless rhythm that had come to mirror the steady drumbeat of her own weariness. Every day, the same journey, the same faces, the same expectations. She had perfected the art of appearing engaged, of offering cheerful responses, when inside, she felt hollow.

The Everglow job was her lifeline, a chance to reignite her passion. But the interview loomed, a daunting wall she wasn't sure she had the strength to scale. She had been up all night fretting.

She watched her reflection in the train window, the shadows beneath her eyes deeper than usual. She clutched the strap of her bag, her knuckles white. She looked in the mirror again, and she was already tired of pretending to be okay.