Gemotions

"Just another day," Mark muttered to himself, forcing a smile as he walked into the office. The rejection letter, hidden in his bag, felt like a secret he had to conceal. He'd told his co-workers that he was "working on something," and the shared anticipation had fueled his confidence. He didn’t want to be made fun of.

He found himself avoiding his friend, Sarah. They had bonded over their shared love of writing, and she had been his first reader. He couldn’t face her knowing he'd failed. The silence felt worse than any harsh words. He knew she would be supportive, but that was beside the point.

He stayed late that night, pretending to work, scrolling through social media, seeing all the successes of his contemporaries. His eyes burned with unshed tears. The manuscript had become a symbol of his shortcomings.