Gemotions

The email arrived at precisely 8:03 AM. Sarah stared at it, the cursor blinking mockingly on the screen. Both her and Liam's applications had been forwarded to the hiring manager. She reread the sentence, the words blurring around the edges of her vision. A knot tightened in her stomach, a physical pressure she couldn’t quite explain.

Liam had been her confidante since their college days, the one person she always assumed would support her, not compete. She pressed her lips together, a silent prayer forming against the sudden churning in her gut. How did this happen? It was as if the universe had just decided to flip on its head.

She picked up her phone, the cold metal a stark contrast to the sudden flush on her cheeks. She almost dialed Liam, but she hesitated. What would she even say? The air in her small apartment felt thick, almost suffocating.