Gemotions

The emergency light cast a sickly yellow glow on Emily's face. Across from her, staring at his phone, was Mark. They hadn't spoken since the elevator stopped. She found her gaze constantly returning to the way his jaw was set, or the shape of his hands.

She fiddled with the strap of her bag, her fingers tracing the stitching. She had a sudden, overwhelming urge to get away from him, to disappear. Each time his eyes lifted from his phone, she felt compelled to look away, as if caught doing something wrong.

She struggled to remember what she had said to him that morning at the coffee machine. Had she sounded too eager? Too awkward? She felt her face burn with every imagined social blunder.

She desperately wanted to tell him that she'd always wanted to be a part of his team. But all she could do was hope that he hadn't noticed how desperately she was trying not to be noticed.