Gemotions

The air in the break room felt thick with unspoken things. David, surrounded by a group of coworkers, was regaling them with tales of his 'amazing' first week. I couldn't bear to be near them.

I found myself avoiding the common areas, spending my lunch breaks in the deserted stairwell. The silence was a balm, a temporary escape from the constant reminders of my failure.

I’d tried to be happy for him, truly I had. But every success he achieved felt like a personal failure, a testament to my inadequacy. The more he succeeded, the smaller I felt.