Gemotions

He stared at the email, the words of the rejection echoing in his mind. "Insufficient grasp of the material." His stomach churned. He’d meticulously crafted his presentation, rehearsing it until he could recite it in his sleep. Now, the weight of his perceived incompetence pressed down on him, suffocating him. He slammed his laptop shut, the metallic clang a harsh punctuation mark to the verdict.

The apartment felt too small, the walls closing in. He paced, muttering to himself, his voice a low growl of frustration. He picked up his phone, then threw it back down. He was ashamed. The faces of his peers at the presentation burned in his memory, their expectant eyes now replaced with a silent judgement.