Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of Maya's apartment, mirroring the turmoil in her gut. She chewed on her thumbnail, the taste of metal familiar and unwelcome. Days blurred into a monotonous cycle of lukewarm coffee, scrolling through social media, and the crushing weight of nothingness. She felt a profound emptiness, a yawning chasm where ambition used to reside. She thought of Liam, her best friend, always regaling her with tales of high-powered meetings and complex deals at "Sterling & Finch." She should be happy for him. Instead, a sourness rose in her throat.

Yesterday, she'd seen him. Not at a business lunch as he'd said, but loading boxes at a local storage unit.

Her pulse hammered against her ribs.