Gemotions

The coffee shop around her hummed with chatter, a lively cacophony she usually found comforting. Today, it was just noise. She stared at the screen of her laptop, the email shimmering in the harsh glare of the morning sun. Her breath caught in her throat.

A cold stone formed in her stomach. She hadn’t anticipated this. She'd been so sure, so convinced of her qualifications. Now, a deep ache settled behind her eyes. Her fingers, which had been poised to type a celebratory email to her parents, now felt numb.

She pushed her chair back, the scrape of the metal legs against the floor echoing in the sudden quiet. She needed to get out, to be alone. Her latte sat forgotten, growing cold beside her.