Gemotions

The cramped space amplified the silence. Emily chewed on her lip, a nervous habit she hadn't realized she still had. Opposite her, John was attempting to crack a joke. It fell flat. The laughter, which had always come so easily to her before, felt impossible.

She thought of the email she'd sent this morning, meticulously crafted, expressing her feelings. No response. The rejection felt like a physical blow, a dull ache in her sternum.

The elevator swayed slightly. Emily gripped her purse, the leather digging into her palm. She focused on the metallic smell, anything to avoid looking at John.