Gemotions

The clock on her laptop screen seemed to tick with malicious intent. Each second was another jab in the gut. “This is it,” Carol thought, her voice barely a whisper. She and Jessica both had applied, and the competition had turned their friendship into a tightrope walk.

She jumped at the sound of a notification, her heart leaping into her throat. It was just a spam email, but she couldn’t stop staring at it, the words blurring before her eyes. She wanted to scream.

Her carefully constructed façade of composure crumbled. She felt a burning heat in her chest. She had prepared for this, she had rehearsed, but still, the thought of losing was completely devastating.