Gemotions

The phone vibrated on the table, and Chloe jumped, nearly spilling her tea. It was Daniel, the friend she'd known since childhood. She answered, expecting a congratulatory call. Instead, she heard his voice, tight and strained.

“Did you… did you see the email?” he asked, his voice cracking.

Her heart began to thump against her ribs. She had. And she’d tried to rationalize it, to tell herself it was a mistake.

"Yes," she replied, her voice barely a whisper. The air felt thick, heavy with unspoken questions. They'd both needed this job, they'd both needed a fresh start. But only one of them could get it. The irony was almost unbearable.

There was a silence on the other end, punctuated only by the distant hum of traffic.