Gemotions

He avoided eye contact with Sarah, the woman he'd known since his school days. It was just a job, he'd told himself. A simple matter of matching skills to needs. But the reality felt like a much more personal assessment, a direct comparison. He felt every inadequacy, every flaw, magnified.

He took a deep breath, the air in the room feeling thick and stale. He found himself studying the ceiling tiles, counting them, anything to avoid looking at her.

He could feel his face burning. He felt the impulse to run, to escape this uncomfortable situation.

The receptionist called his name. His heart leaped into his throat.