Gemotions

"Just breathe," Liam said to himself, running a hand through his hair. The wait was excruciating. He'd been refreshing his email every five minutes, each click a flicker of hope and dread.

He went for a walk, forcing himself to breathe deeply. The park was filled with families, children playing and laughing, a scene of effortless joy that only deepened his unease.

He felt a sudden, urgent need to run, to escape the suffocating pressure of his own expectations. He stopped, leaned against a tree, and shut his eyes. The world seemed to tilt on its axis.