Gemotions

"Ready to go, Liam?" his manager asked, her voice a little too loud in the quiet hallway. Liam jumped, startled. He had to remind himself to breathe. He was on edge.

"Yeah, just finishing up," he replied, his voice a touch too high. He picked up his briefcase and walked with the others to the elevator, avoiding eye contact. He felt exposed, vulnerable. Every shadow seemed to be a lurking threat.

He couldn't sit still in the car during the commute. He tapped his fingers on his knee. He needed to be doing something, anything, besides waiting. He’d imagined the promotion, the salary increase, the new responsibilities, and now, all he felt was this constant undercurrent of anxiety.

The feeling intensified the closer they got to the announcement. He found himself imagining all the possibilities, each one sending a jolt of anticipation through his body. He wanted the whole thing to just be over.