Gemotions

The celebratory dinner with Amelia and Liam was excruciating. The job had gone to Amelia. Leo sat across the table, his smile felt unnatural. He drank his wine, but the taste was metallic in his mouth.

He watched her and Liam laugh, their easy camaraderie a painful reminder of what he lacked. He had lost to her before, but this one felt different. He felt as though he had failed something important, the kind of failure that chips away at the core of a person.

He pushed his untouched food around his plate. He didn’t know how much longer he could stay. He was beginning to sweat. He excused himself, citing a headache, and walked out into the cool night air. The fresh air did nothing to clear his head.