Gemotions

"I just… I don’t know, I thought I aced it," Maria muttered, her voice barely a whisper. Liam, her friend from culinary school, nodded sympathetically. They had both gone for the head chef position at the new restaurant. Now, the wait was the worst part.

She was twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. Her stomach felt heavy, like she had swallowed a rock. She found it difficult to make eye contact, her gaze darting around the cafe. She kept replaying the interview in her head, searching for flaws, for moments she could have improved.

The prospect of working with Liam again, if he got the job, felt… off-kilter. The ease with which he handled a knife, his confident smile… it grated on her suddenly, for reasons she couldn't explain. She picked at the chipped paint on the table.