Gemotions

Sarah dragged herself through the grocery store, her limbs heavy, each step a monumental effort. Years of late nights and tight deadlines had taken their toll. She saw him in the frozen foods aisle – Daniel, her childhood partner in crime. A jolt of something akin to happiness ran through her.

She hesitantly called his name. Daniel looked up, his expression blank. "I'm so sorry, have we met?" The words, delivered with a polite, vacant smile, felt like a punch to the gut. The carefully constructed façade she maintained, the one that kept her going, threatened to crumble.

Back in her car, she sat for a long time, staring at the rain-streaked windshield, the groceries in the back seat a burdensome weight. She just wanted to… rest.