Gemotions

The cafeteria buzzed with excited chatter. Every table seemed to be a gathering of triumphant players, laughing and comparing notes. He sat alone, hunched over his tray, picking at the unappetizing food. The air was thick with a celebratory atmosphere that felt almost oppressive. The words "team dinner" and "victory party" echoed through the room. The jangling of silverware and the high-pitched squeals of laughter grated on his nerves. He watched the others with a studied lack of interest. They wouldn’t understand. They couldn’t understand the crushing weight of disappointment, the hollowness of failure. He threw his untouched sandwich in the bin, and left without another word.