Gemotions

The celebration at Leo’s apartment felt wrong. The job was his, the one they had both wanted, and Maya, his best friend, had brought the champagne. He tried to smile, to laugh along with the others, but the words felt stuck in his throat. He looked at Maya, who radiated joy, and he felt a strange, unpleasant knot in his stomach.

She toasted to their success. He raised his glass, clinking it against hers, and his hand felt heavy. He wondered if this victory felt the same for her.

He excused himself, claiming he needed some air. Outside on the balcony, the city lights twinkled like mocking stars. He leaned against the railing, the cool night air doing little to soothe the turmoil inside. He felt a deep ache within him, a kind of emptiness that the job, the success, couldn’t fill. He hated himself for how he felt, for the cloud that hung over his joy.