Gemotions

The crisp autumn air bit at Elara’s cheeks as she walked out of the opulent office building. The rejection letter, tucked securely in her bag, felt heavy. She found a bench overlooking a park bursting with red and gold leaves. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts, settling on her best friend, Liam. "Pizza and movie night?" she texted, her fingers flying across the screen. There was a twitch at the corner of her lips; a smile threatened to break through.

She envisioned the warm glow of the pizza box, the comforting darkness of the cinema, and the shared laughter that always seemed to bubble up during the cheesy parts. It was a well-worn path, this ritual of theirs, and somehow that was immensely appealing. She imagined the feeling of not being alone.