Gemotions

He stared out the window, the city lights blurring through unshed tears. The meeting had ended an hour ago, but the words echoed in his head: "Competitive salary." Competitive. Compared to what? His crippling debt? The revelation about Chris’s higher pay had hit him like a physical blow.

He picked up a pen, then dropped it. He felt the familiar weight settle on his shoulders. He felt an intense pull to just flee, to disappear.

He took a deep, ragged breath and ran his hand through his hair. He needed to be strong, to act. But the options, the path ahead, felt impossibly narrow.