Gemotions

"Seriously?" Leo asked, his voice barely a whisper. He reread the email: *...we've decided to move forward with other candidates...*. He’d put everything into this audition, into this chance to star in the school play. He’d rehearsed his lines until they were etched into his brain. He'd poured his soul into the character.

He balled the email into a tight fist, the paper crumpling under the pressure. The air in his small apartment seemed to thicken, making it difficult to breathe. The rejection was like a physical blow, a dull ache in his gut.

He wanted to scream, to smash something. He wanted to understand how anyone could think *they* were a better choice. The audition had been his, right? He deserved this.