Gemotions

"You didn't get it either?" Mark’s voice was flat, devoid of any inflection. He leaned against the brick wall of the building, a cigarette dangling limply from his lips. The rejection email lay crumpled in his hand.

Across the street, the office building where the software development company was located gleamed in the afternoon sun. Inside, he knew, they were probably already celebrating.

"Nope," replied John. He kicked at a loose stone on the pavement, his gaze fixed on the ground. A heavy silence settled between them, punctuated only by the distant rumble of traffic. He felt a burning in his throat, and looked away.