Ravi sat at his desk and tapped his fingers over the keys, wishing that time would tick by a little faster. He had a meeting to attend in less than an hour -- a meeting he knew wouldn’t go well ( Read more... )

James sat down on the curb in front of his apartment complex, curling his arms over his knees and burying his face in the crook of his elbow. His shoulders shook, though no tears slipped down his cheeks. Instead, he forced himself to breathe in deeply. One breath. Two breaths. Three.

( The knot in his stomach began to unravel, the lump in his throat dissolving. )