Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the cafe hummed, a monotonous drone that did nothing to soothe the tremor in Mark's hands. He kept running a finger around the rim of his coffee cup, the ceramic feeling cold and slick. He'd been friends with David since kindergarten, and now they were both vying for the same software engineering position.

David was across the table, explaining his latest coding project with animated gestures and a booming laugh. Mark, however, found himself staring at the intricate patterns of condensation on his glass, unable to focus on a single word. His palms were slick with sweat.

“So, what do you think?” David asked, his brow furrowed in concern. Mark stammered an answer, a jumble of half-formed sentences. He excused himself to go to the bathroom. He felt a need to be alone for a minute, the solitude offering an illusion of control.