Gemotions

"I can't believe it," Leo muttered, his voice barely a whisper. He reread the email, the words blurring before his eyes. It felt like a physical blow, leaving him winded. He slumped back in his chair, the office around him suddenly oppressive and small.

His phone buzzed with a message from Maya, his friend, the successful candidate. He ignored it. He felt a profound sense of disappointment, a hollowness that echoed in his chest.

He considered going to the gym, but the thought of facing the world, of pretending to be okay, seemed unbearable. He spent the rest of the day staring blankly at his computer screen, the flickering light a poor substitute for the vibrant future he’d envisioned.