Gemotions

The digital rejection notification flashed across Sophia's screen, and she let out a short, sharp breath. Her shoulders slumped, and a tremor ran through her body. All that time, all that effort, for nothing. The injustice of it all felt heavy on her chest, constricting her breathing.

She pushed back from her desk with unnecessary force, the chair scraping against the floor. She needed to escape, to get away from the oppressive atmosphere of the room. She grabbed her keys and slammed the door behind her, the sound reverberating in the quiet hallway. *Damn it*, she thought.

She stalked down the stairs and out the front door, the late afternoon sun suddenly too bright, the air thick with unspoken frustrations. The world seemed to be mocking her.