Gemotions

"Seriously?" Mark sputtered, his voice cracking with the force of his astonishment. He read the email again, the words mocking him with their bland, corporate language. "After all that work? After all the late nights?" He slammed his fist down on the desk, rattling the flimsy cardboard frame of a photo of his parents.

His fingers twitched. He wanted to throw something, to shatter the pristine order of his meticulously organized office. Liam had the job. Liam, who’d probably shown up late, rambled on, and charmed everyone with his fake enthusiasm.

He felt a burning sensation in his chest, a tight knot that refused to loosen. His breath came in shallow, choppy gasps. He spun around in his chair, staring out the window at the busy street below, the vibrant colors of the city seeming to mock his disappointment.