Gemotions

Rain smeared the window of the coffee shop, blurring the already hazy streetlights. Elias stared at the advertisement for the new academic year, the glossy image of a smiling student practically mocking him. He swirled the lukewarm latte in his mug, the ceramic cold against his fingertips. His college application essay, the one about the lost dog and the unexpected kindness of strangers, was now displayed as a shining example. He’d penned it years ago, a lifetime ago. Now, it just felt... flat.

The barista called out a name, and a girl, no older than he'd been when he’d written the essay, bounded towards the counter, her face bright with optimism. Elias felt a dull ache in his chest, a heavy weight that seemed to have settled there sometime in the last few years. He took another sip of his coffee, the bitterness doing little to cut through the flavorless feeling that permeated his very being.