Gemotions

The coffee shop felt too loud, too ordinary. She sat by the window, rereading the rejection email on her phone. The words blurred, the light from the street lamp reflecting off the screen, making the words appear distorted. She felt a strange buzzing in her ears. He had read her work. *He*. Mr. Thorne. She remembered their brief chat at the literary festival, the way he’d nodded encouragingly. The whole thing seemed different now, that brief interaction. She felt the urge to dissect everything he had said, every little gesture. She ordered another coffee, even though her hands were already shaking with caffeine, and watched the rain streak down the window. Maybe she should send a follow-up email, just to… clarify something.