Gemotions

He found himself pacing his apartment, the linoleum cold beneath his bare feet. The silence was deafening, broken only by the frantic beat of his own heart. He knew, deep down, that he'd blown it during the interview. He’d stumbled over his words, his confidence a fragile thing.

He pictured Maya, her sharp wit and perfect resume. They'd been inseparable since childhood, always encouraging each other. Now, the weight of his own perceived failings was crushing. He should have been more prepared, more practiced. He looked at the half-finished novel on his desk and felt the familiar ache of inadequacy.