Gemotions

“Well, that’s… that’s just fantastic,” Michael managed, his voice sounding thin even to his own ears. Across the table, James beamed, oblivious. The job. The only job Michael had wanted.

Michael wanted to crawl under the table. He wanted to disappear. He felt his face heat up, his cheeks burning. He forced a smile, but it felt brittle. His stomach churned. He took a large gulp of water, the cold liquid doing nothing to soothe the turmoil within.

He had to get away. He stood up abruptly, mumbling an excuse about needing to use the restroom. The lie felt as thick as the air around him.