Gemotions

"Are you sure you want to go out tonight?" Mark asked, his voice unusually hesitant. He and David had always done everything together. This shared application had shifted the ground beneath him.

He picked at a scab on his elbow, a habit he'd adopted when nervous. David’s relaxed confidence in all things – especially his own abilities – loomed over him like a storm cloud. He could practically hear David’s pre-interview pep talk echoing in his ears.

The bar felt too loud, too crowded. He nursed his beer slowly, watching David laugh with the other applicants. A cold, heavy feeling settled in Mark’s chest. He felt like an imposter.