Gemotions

He found himself avoiding the gym, the usual post-work escape. Seeing his colleague, the newly promoted, in the same space would be unbearable. He turned down dinner invitations, a rare occurrence. He knew the conversation, the questions he didn't want to answer, the congratulations, would be like salt on a fresh wound.

He remained at his desk long after everyone else had left, the silence of the office pressing down on him. He deleted drafts of emails, he stared out of the window. His appetite vanished. The simple act of breathing felt hard. A deep sense of disappointment.